Philippine cargo volume increased 5.7% in the first 10 months of the year due to strong exports, especially those passing through private ports.
Latest data from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) showed that total volume from January to October reached 146.70 million metric tons (mmt) compared to the same period last year’s 138.19 million.
Increases were recorded at the ports of Surigao, Batangas and the Manila International Container Terminal. Among cargoes that propelled volume growth were chemicals, crude minerals, grains, petroleum and fertilizer importation, and nickel ore exports.
Domestic cargo reached 60.37 mmt, up 5% from 57.62 mmt. Foreign cargo grew 7% to 86.33 mmt from 80.57 mmt last year.
Containerized cargo jumped 14% to 4.17 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) compared to 3.67 million TEUs last year.
Boxed cargo for the domestic trade swelled 23% to 1.60 million TEUs from 1.30 million TEUs while foreign containers went up 9% to 2.57 million TEUs from 2.36 million TEUs.
Shipcalls slipped 4% to 277,298 from 287,346. Of the total, domestic shipcalls accounted for 268,747, down 4%; and foreign shipcalls, 8,551, a decline of 3%.
Passenger volume dipped 8% to 40.41 million from 43.86 million. PPA attributed the drop to preference of travelers for air rather than land/water transportation; stoppage of operations of some ferry vessels; and cancellation of trips due to rough seas brought about by inclement weather.
PPA earlier slashed its 2012 projection for cargo growth to between 5% and 7% from 8-10% due to the continued anemic global economy and skyrocketing fuel prices. The downgrade came even if PPA has been meeting volume and revenue targets for 2011.
This year, PPA is expected to handle 180 mmt from 2010’s 166,395,680 mmt.
