Yard utilization at Manila’s two international container terminals remains high after the five-day holiday during the Papal visit, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
PPA said average utilization at Manila South Harbor and Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) was 93% as of January 23 although this is lower than the 97% on January 15, the day Pope Francis arrived in the country, and less than the 101% on January 19, the day the Pope left.
PPA noted that Manila South Harbor has higher utilization since it suspended operations on the afternoon of January 18 due to its proximity to Quirino Grandstand where Pope Francis conducted a mass. As of January 23, four vessels were at berth in South Harbor while 11 were on queue, PPA said.
MICT operations were normal, with seven vessels at berth and three vessels waiting, the agency noted.
In an advisory on January 21, intra-Asia carrier MCC Transport tagged Manila South Harbor and MICT as congested, with average dwell time of three to four days and five days, respectively.
In a text message to PortCalls, PPA general manager Atty. Juan Sta. Ana said the agency is still encouraging cargo owners to expedite withdrawal of cargoes.
Asked about the plan of shipping lines to move out as many as 30,000 containers on or before April 30, Sta. Ana said “we hope to see that in the coming days.”
The carriers’ planned move-out is spurred by the new directive from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) that cuts the period empty foreign containers may stay in the country without duties and taxes to 90 days from the previous 150 days.
Offdock depots
In a related development, the estimated utilization of off-dock container depots as of January 20 was 92%, according to Carl Fontanilla, president of the Container Depot Alliance of the Philippines.
Fontanilla said this is slightly lower than the utilization level before the papal visit.
“There was less return compared with withdrawal,” Fontanilla told PortCalls in a text message.
“Ship-outs were also less and mostly at ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services, Inc.) but generally there was movement during the papal visit,” he added.
Asked if he sees this trend continuing especially with the upcoming Chinese New Year, Fontanilla said, “We still have to observe but traditionally empty ship-outs start to increase in January up to March.” – Roumina Pablo
