THE Cebu Port Authority (CPA) registered a 4.8% increase in container traffic to 353,740 TEUs from 337,549 TEUs in the first three quarters of the year.
Domestic containers posted a 2.64% growth from 257,588 TEUs to 264,398 TEUs. Foreign-bound containers reached 89,342 TEUs, up 11.73% from last year’s 79,961 TEUs.
For the nine-month period, cargo throughput declined slightly by 2.03% to 12,126,258 MT from 12,377,662 MT. Domestic-bound cargoes fell 5.15% while foreign cargoes jumped 10.83%.
For the third quarter alone, a 6.55% increase in container traffic was registered – to 124,662 TEUs from 116,999 TEUs in the same quarter last year. Compared to the second quarter’s 117,289 TEUs, third-quarter container traffic was 6.29% more.
From July to September, containers bound for interisland transport totaled 90,204 TEUs, slightly lower by 0.03% from last year’s third-quarter figure of 90,234 TEUs. Foreign-bound container shipment posted a robust growth of 28.74% from 26,765 TEUs to 34,458 TEUs.
Cargo throughput slipped 18.83% from 5,876,383 metric tons (MT) to 4,769,853 MT. Domestic cargoes were down 22.2% to 3,653,709 MT from 4,696,078 MT. Inbound and outbound cargoes also suffered a 5% and 34.35% decline, respectively.
Foreign-bound cargoes also posted a negative variance of 5.44%, at 1,116,144 MT compared with last year’s third-quarter figure of 1,180,305 MT. Exports and imports handled by the Cebu port fell 25.34% and 19.94%, respectively.
Total cargo throughput for the third quarter was 19.41% more than the second-quarter cargo volume of 3,994,649 MT.
Vessels calling the port of Cebu went up 21.75% from 15,832 to 19,276. Interisland vessels increased 22% and international shipcalls, 4.19%.
Foreign vessels docking at the port, however, fell slightly by 1.16% for the nine-month period. – Maritess R. Mesias
