Philippine container throughput grew 6.97% to 1.229 million twenty-foot equivalent units in the first quarter of the year from 1.149 million TEUs year-on-year, according to latest data from the Philippine Ports Authority.
For the period in review, foreign containerized cargo inched up 0.42% to 733,675 TEUs from 730,501 TEUs. Of the total foreign box shipments, import containerized cargo accounted for 370,746 TEUs, a 4.72% improvement from 354,028 TEUs in the first quarter of 2011; and export containerized cargo, 362,929 TEUs, a 3.62% dip from 376,573 TEUs.
Domestic container traffic rose 18.40% due in part to higher domestic consumer spending which positively affected domestic trade.
North Harbor remained the country’s leading port for domestic containerized cargo, handling 427,966 TEUs followed by South Harbor with 201,625 TEUs and Davao with 113,459 TEUs.
Total cargo throughput
The country’s total cargo throughput for the first quarter reached 38.987 million metric tons (mmt), up 4.29% from 37.384 mmt year-on-year.
Foreign cargo volume rose 6.22% to 20.922 mmt against 19.698 mmt in the first quarter of 2011. Export cargoes jumped 12.35% to 7.505 mmt from 6.680 mmt while import cargoes advanced 3.07% to 13.417 mmt from 13.017 mmt.
Domestic cargo throughput inched up 2.14% to 18.064 mmt from 17.686 mmt.
A standout in the first quarter was the Port of Puerto Princesa whose volume soared 88.47% due to high import shipment of chemicals and coal as well as exports of nickel silicate ore.
On the other hand, declines in throughput were posted at the South Harbor and the ports of Batangas, Legazpi, Ormoc, Iligan, Cotabato and General Santos.
Manila International Container Terminal, the country’s main international gateway, accounted for the bulk of the total cargo throughput with 12.83% followed by North Harbor with 12.03%, Batangas 11.81%, Limay 10.94% and Davao 6.67%.
Shipcalls from January to March rose 1.83% from 82,268 to 83,773. Domestic vessel calls jumped 1.99% while foreign vessel calls dropped 3.13%.
The South Harbor and the ports of Puerto Princesa, Dumaguete, Davao, North Harbor and Limay registered increases in shipcalls.
Passenger volume for the first quarter reached 11.30 million or 0.06% lower compared to last year due to travelers’ preference for air instead of water transportation.
Photo courtesy of ICTSI
