Cargo congestion in Manila's container ports may last until Q1 2015 – Trade chief

More containers are arriving daily in the ports of Manila – already overcrowded with shipments unprocessed shipments – due to the onset of the "ber" months, more than offsetting the pace of cargo withdrawals from the South Harbor and the Manila International Container Terminal, prompting the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to issue a statement that the congestion gripping Port Area may last until early 2015.

 

Decongesting the port has become a gargantuan task as more container vans enter the ports this month, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said during the Department of Trade and Industry budget hearing on at the Senate on Wednesday.

 

In this situation, resolving the port congestion may actually be addressed during the lean months of the first quarter of 2015, the Trade secretary said.

 

"... Now na ‘ber’ months na tayo, where, iyong dating ng containers ay napakalaki, mahirap nating ma-reduce ang port congestion," he said. "Iyong ship site ang naging problema, because there are more containers being brought in than being taken out," he added.

 

Latest data from the DTI showed port utilization at MICT is about 100 percent, and 92 percent in the case of South Harbor.

 

International Container Terminal Services Inc. operates MICT, while Asian Terminals Inc. is charged with South Harbor.

 

There are 78,000 containers piled up in the ports, compared with the total capacity of 80,000, but only 4,500 containers are released daily, Domingo said.

 

"'Pag masyadong mataas ang container yard utilization, lalagyan na naman nila ng containers ang circulation roads which limit the movements of the crane, movements of the truck. Baka ma-affect na naman ang throughput ng trucks... So, doon po tayo," the Trade chief noted.

 

Operating the ports on weekends is critical in stabilizing the port issue, he said. "We are now encouraging the companies at saka mga brokers and everybody to utilize the extra two days.

 

"Kung magawa po ang extra two days na iyon, then ma-stabilize ang situation, po. Then pagdating ng first quarter during the lean season, then we can clear a lot of the congestion sa port," he added.

 

However, shipping companies and brokers resist the call of government and business groups to do their part on weekends.

 

"We’ve been pushing. The chambers are part of the task force. Hindi rin nila matulak," Domingo said. He did not cite the reason why.

 

Earlier this month, terminal operators offered financial incentives to importers and exporters who will remove their cargo from the ports during weekends and on Mondays. – Danessa O. Rivera/VS, GMA News