Cargo throughput at Cebu port jumped 14.31% to 34.904 million metric tons (mmt) in 2014 from 30.534 mmt in 2013, latest data from the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) showed.
The 2014 volume was also 10.1% higher than the target of 31.714 mmt.
Container traffic likewise rose 13% to 712,435 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 631,215.25 TEUs in 2013, and was 7.3% more than the 664,245.5-TEU projected volume.
Domestic containers, which accounted for 59% of the total container throughput, grew 8.3% to 423,384.75 TEUs from 390,922.75 from the previous year. Foreign containers, which represented 41%, reached 289,050 TEUs, 20.3% higher than the 240,292.5 TEUs in 2013.
Ship calls, however, declined 2.8% to 108,938 vessels from 112,086 vessels in 2013, and were lower than the target of 116,323 vessels.
Passenger volume also dropped 5% to 16.312 million from 17.088 million in 2013, and was 5% lower than the 17.187-million target.
The Cebu port, of late, has been handling cargoes close to its capacity.
In 2014 and in early 2015, Cebu International Port experienced congestion due to a number of reasons, including growth in throughput.
The government, through the Department of Transportation and Communications, has plans to transfer the international terminal to a different location to accommodate greater volume. Transport Undersecretary and Cebu Port Commission alternate chairman Julianito Bucayan, Jr. in February said a Korean firm is already conducting a feasibility study on the plan. – Roumina Pablo
