THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has ordered the mandatory weighing of cargoes at the country’s top two ports, the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) and the Manila South Harbor.
The order (PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR COPY) covers both containerized and rolling cargoes passing through the two ports.
“All outbound containers and Ro-Ro (roll on-roll off) vehicles both foreign and domestic, for loading onto a carrying vessel shall be subject to mandatory weighing at the port of loading to ensure its compliance with the allowable container weight and prescribed gross vehicle weight,” according to PPA memorandum circular 23-2009.
“The weighing tickets for the said containers and vehicles shall be honored at the port of destination,” it added. “This will be imposed not only for safety of outbound containers but also to mitigate risks to the port facilities, cargo handling equipment and the carrying vessels.”
Under current laws, the limit is 13.5 metric tons per axle or about 27 metric tons combined.
PPA said it recently received reports of incidents that have resulted in overloading of local and international containers and Ro-Ro vehicles.
Under the order, PPA is holding cargo handling/terminal operators responsible for ensuring the allowable weights and safe handling of all containers and Ro-Ro vehicles at their respective port.
In case of operators’ inability to provide and operate the weighing service, such may be bidded out by PPA.
Overloaded containers and Ro-Ro vehicles will not be loaded onto ships until corrective measures have been made, including stripping, attendant special services and ultimate withdrawal of cargoes that may be conducted by the cargo handling/terminal operators for the account of the cargo/vehicle owner.
The weighting service providers/operators will be required to secure a permit and accreditation from the PPA before being allowed to operate in the port.
Cargo handlers or operators may impose payment of rates for the use of a weighbridge or truck scale as agreed upon by the service provider and the owner of the cargo/vehicle and as approved by PPA.
The service providers/operators shall remit to PPA the corresponding government share or variable fee out of its gross income from the weighing service operation in addition to the permit fee per annum.
