Cargo traffic volume rose 19 percent in the first half of the year from the same period last year as both domestic and foreign cargo traffic improved, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
PPA data showed cargo volume in January to June stood at 127.4 million metric tons (MMT), higher compared with 107 MMT a year ago.
Domestic cargo increased by 10 percent to 48.4 MMT in the first semester from 44 MMT last year, while foreign cargo volume grew 27 percent to 79 MMT from 62 MMT a year ago.
PPA said container traffic handled in January to June jumped 21 percent to 3.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) versus last year’s 2.98 million TEUs for the same period.
However, passenger volume dropped 41 percent to 10.4 million in January to June this year from 17.7 million in the same period last year, due to travel restrictions amid the pandemic.
Passenger traffic during the period is still significantly lower as compared to pre-pandemic levels which stood at 45.5 million.
Jay Santiago, PPA general manager, earlier said cargo traffic is projected to increase by 7 percent in 2021 and by another 1 to 3 percent by 2022 and 2023, consistent with the forecast of the National Economic and Development Authority and the economic cluster in terms of economic growth this year.
Despite the pandemic, PPA said it has completed 446 seaport projects under the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program and currently, 117 seaport projects are under construction and expected to be completed beyond 2022.
Last week, PPA issued a memorandum directing all port managers to give vaccinated passengers free snacks in all PPA port terminals starting today until August 20, 2021, in support of the government’s coronavirus vaccination program.
