PHILIPPINE ports continued their strong performance, sailing into positive territory for the fourth consecutive month in November propelled by the country’s strong export shipments.
For the first 11 months of 2007, the total cargo volume was at 148.02 million metric tons (mmt), up 5.65% compared to the 140.11 mmt of the same period in 2006.
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) attributed the increase to the 9.86% rise in foreign cargo from 74.58 mmt last year to 81.93 mmt for the period in review. Exports and imports posted positive growth rates of 24.11% and 1.92%, respectively.
The Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) recorded the most foreign volume (13.93 mmt), followed by Cagayan de Oro (13.06 mmt), Batangas (11.58 mmt), Limay (10.34 mmt), Surigao (7.89 mmt) and South Harbor (5.87 mmt).
Exports grew from 26.69 mmt to 33.12 mmt, and imports from 47.89 mmt to 48.81 mmt.
Domestic cargo volumes, which have been sliding in the past several months, also registered a 0.86% increase for the 11-month period from 65.53 mmt to 66.10 mmt.
Container throughput continues its uptrend, growing 7.47% from the same period last year or from 3.38 million TEUs to 3.64 million TEUs as a result of the active foreign cargo trade.
Foreign containerized cargoes soared 13.42% from 1.89 million TEUs in 2006 to 2.14 million TEUs in 2007. Of the total, imports accounted for 1.09 million TEUs from 957,491 TEUs, up 13.88%; and exports, 1.05 million TEUs from 934,159 TEUs, or an increase of 12.95%.
The increase was mostly felt at the North and South Harbors, the MICT, and the Cagayan de Oro, Davao and General Santos ports.
Domestic containerized cargoes, however, again retreated 0.06% from 1.495 million TEUs to 1.494 million TEUs for the period due to the preference of shippers for the use of the roll on-roll off highway.
Shipcalls increased 1.85% for the 11-month period vis-à-vis 2006. Domestic shipcalls grew 1.72% from 269,044 to 273,678 and foreign shipcalls, 5.69% from 8,874 to 9,379.
Passenger traffic also rose 3.97% or 1.512 million as the Strong Republic National Highway component ports saw double-digit growth rates particularly in Batangas, Calapan and Ozamis.
For November 2007, port traffic recorded an increase in container and passenger traffic but a decrease in cargo and shipcalls compared to the same period in 2006.
Cargo traffic and shipcalls were down 4.68% and 3.76%, respectively.
Containerized cargoes and passenger grew 3.82% and 5.97%, respectively.
