THE transportation agency is targeting to achieve 60 percent yard utilization, the ideal operation at the Manila ports, through the continued compliance of shippers and consignees to pull out overstaying cargoes at the ports.
Currently, the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) and the Manila South Harbor are steadily being decongested as shippers and consignees have started withdrawing overstaying cargoes, with utilization of the ports now at an estimated 75 percent, a significant improvement from the 100 percent yard utilization last week.
Arthur Tugade, Department of Transportation (DOTr) secretary, said what has been achieved so far is more than what the DOTr and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) have been expecting following appeals made to shippers and consignees to withdraw their overstaying cargoes.
“The utilization of the ports is now approximately at 75 percent. The PPA is happy about this. There are now efforts on shippers and consignees to withdraw their cargoes. This helps in decongesting the ports,” said Tugade.
“This is an improvement on our earlier appeal to shippers and consignees to withdraw or release their shipments. We are targeting 60 percent approximately to achieve an ideal operation,” he added.
To recall, Tugade and Jay Daniel Santiago, PPA general manager, reached out to shippers and consignees for them to remove their cargoes to make space in the ports for shipments of items needed by the government in its ongoing fight to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 threat.
Santiago has also appealed to the shippers and consignees to continue the cargo withdrawals to sustain the momentum.
“This is the result of the appeals we have made and hopefully will be sustained through the implementation of JAO (Joint administrative order) 20-01. Cargo withdrawals have been consistent so far,” Santiago said.
He also assured the shippers and consignees who are now withdrawing their cargoes from the MICT that transactions will be handled efficiently.
“The Bureau of Customs, the PPA and terminal operators ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services Inc.) and ATI (Asian Terminals Inc.) have all been working together to help the consignees facilitate their transactions expeditiously,” Santiago said.
PPA has amended its travel guidelines for cargoes to and from Philippine ports in consonance with Republic Act No. 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal As one Act.
Under the amended guidelines, embodied in PPA Memo Circular 13-2020, trucks carrying cargoes from one port to another in the country, regardless of whether traversing a body or bodies of water, shall be allowed continuous access to and from the ports instead of having another truck, driver and helper carry the cargo in every port of call if such is traversing any body of water until it reaches its final destination.
Likewise, carrying empty containers for withdrawal and repositioning shall also be given free pass to and from the ports and inland container depots.
Truck drivers and helpers shall be subjected to stringent health protocols by concerned units at the ports before they will be allowed to enter or leave the port/s and proceed to their next or final destination.
