Port congestion affects importation of Christmas goods

MANILA, Philippines - Port congestion, despite the lifting of the truck ban, has affected the importation and supply of Christmas goods, an official of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said yesterday.

PPA assistant general manager for special projects Hector Miole said there had been an increase in the arrival of cargoes three months before Christmas, but it is still minimal compared to last year.

“The movement has been restricted, definitely the volume would not be as high as they want them to be,” Miole said.

He said the volume of importation should have spiked by 10 percent at this time.

Port congestion, which was blamed on the eight-month implementation of the truck ban in the city of Manila, disrupted operations at the Port of Manila (POM) and at the Manila International Container Port (MICP). It also caused heavy traffic in Metro Manila and its outskirts.

Miole said they noticed an increase in the arrival of shipping containers three weeks after Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada lifted the truck ban, but noted that a big number in Kaohsiung in Taiwan, Singapore and other countries have yet to be brought to Manila.

“These are our priority, together with the shipping lines, these stock arrivals for the holiday season, for December and the New Year,” he said.

He said holiday importation has also affected efforts to bring down yard utilization.

The PPA reiterated its appeal to consignees and shippers to take advantage of the weekends and holidays to move out their shipments from the ports to decongest the MICP and the POM. “Once we have restored the ideal situation at the port, then normal transactions will take place,” Miole said.– With Rey Galupo