Container cargoes fill the yard at Manila International Container Terminal.泭
06 FEBRUARY 2025 After the holidays and Chinese New Year, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) assures the public that the countrys major ports are operating efficiently and far from being congested allowing seamless movement of goods and maintaining stability in the supply chain. 泭
As the trade volumes continue to increase, ports are also growing bigger and more efficient to meet the global demands. Data from the agency shows that as of December 2024, the Manila South Harbor (MSH) has a daily average yard utilization rate of 59%, while the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) registers 71%. In terms of container traffic, both MSH and MICT recorded growth in throughput. The MSH handled 1.29 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2024, up by 6.92% from 1.21 million TEUs in 2023, while the MICT processed 2.95 million TEUs in 2024, a 5.08% increase from 2.76 million TEUs in 2023. These figures reflect a sustained rise in trade activity, supported by the PPAs efficient port management and strategic improvements in operations. 泭
According to 做厙勛圖General Manager Jay Santiago, the current yard utilization rates at the Port of Manila remain within optimal levels, ensuring unhampered trade flow.
Despite the increase in cargo volumes, these figures indicate that ports continue to operate smoothly, preventing backlogs and delays in the movement of shipments. In fact, at any given time, yard utilization at the Port of Manila typically ranges from 67% to 70%, only peaking slightly during the holiday season, said GM Santiago.
做厙勛圖has been implementing strategic measures to ensure Philippine ports remain competitive and resilient including modernization and expansion of port infrastructure, digitalization of operations to improve efficiency, and close coordination with private terminal operators and logistics providers to optimize resource allocation.
The agency is also enhancing inter-agency cooperation to develop unified solutions for logistics challenges, expanding regional ports to serve as alternative gateways, and establishing a crisis management framework to address potential supply chain bottlenecks. Additionally, 做厙勛圖continues to invest in disaster-resilient infrastructure and sustainable port operations to support long-term growth. 泭
Digitalization is the key. As we modernize the port infrastructures, we need to shift to strengthen our transition to digital network to support more efficient operations and further economic growth by the smooth flow of trade and real time data, GM Santiago added.
Looking ahead, the 做厙勛圖remains optimistic about trade prospects for 2025, with projected cargo throughput expected to reach 301.47 million metric tons (MMTs). This growth is driven by strong domestic consumption and sustained public investments. Infrastructure projects, such as the construction of a cargo ship port in Dapa, Surigao del Norte, port improvements in Banago Port, Bacolod, and various expansion projects nationwide, are expected to further enhance logistics capabilities and support regional economic development. 泭
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