OPERATIONS within the Port of Manila have improved with the removal of many overstaying containers, which has alleviated problems created by congestion, reports the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)
OPERATIONS within the Port of Manila have improved with the removal of many overstaying containers, which has alleviated problems created by congestion, reports the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). The PPA said the yard utilisation rate at Manila ports has gone down to 70 per cent after reaching as high as 90-95 per cent in January this year.
'Port efficiency is at its highest as the yard utilisation rate continues to drop while the average crane moves per hour is 22 moves or higher with average vessel turnaround time at 20 hours or less. This suggests that port de-clogging efforts are paying off,' said the PPA.
Last March, the PPA, together with the Department of Transportation, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Bureau of Customs, signed an agreement with private port operators to improve efficiency at their facilities. Containers were given a 30-day limit to stay in terminals after which they are to be transferred to these operators' inland container yards.
'The three Manila ports: Manila International Container Terminal, Manila South Harbour and Manila South Harbour are operating under optimal conditions even prior to the signing of the agreement due to measures put into place by the PPA. However, the signing of the agreement involving all parties facilitated the decongestion efforts,' the agency said.
The Bureau of Customs earlier stated that the continued easing of the congestion at Manila ports was attributed to its collaboration with port operators Asian Terminal Inc (ATI) and International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI).
ATI operates the Manila South Harbour while ICTSI is the operator of the Manila International Container Port (MICP). Overstaying laden containers were shipped out to the ATI yard in Sta. Clara, Batangas to free up space at the port.
As of April, around 400 staying containers had been transferred from the POM to the ATI facility while removal of the remaining containers is ongoing.
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