State-run Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) disputed reports of congestion or backlogs in the country’s covered ports, saying latest data even show improving yard utilization rate.
The port authority said the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) actually shows a 54.65 percent yard utilization rate as of February 14 this year and the South Harbor with 58.12 percent, much lower compared to data in December last year when these stood at 78 percent and 68 percent, respectively.
It said yard utilization naturally drops back to the optimal rate of 50 percent or below now that the holiday season is over.
The PPA, however, acknowledged that container traffic remains high inside the ports. As of January 31, 2023 there were still 7,765 containers/ 12,480.75 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) overstaying at the MICT versus only 12,919 containers or 20,990 TEUs last December 2022.
According to PPA General Manager Jay Santiago, yard utilization rate is improving compared to the December holiday rush last year.
“As much as possible, we try to accommodate them in PPA terminals, but we cannot accommodate them all, we can only accommodate empty containers an x number of days,” Santiago said.
Yard utilization depends on cargo shipper and consignee withdrawal of their containers from the ports. In December last year, yard utilization rate peaked at 85 percent in either international terminals.
