2008 cargo volume slides 8% but box shipments grow

The country's total cargo volume slumped 8.05% in 2008 to 144.76 million metric tons (mmt) from 157.43 mmt in 2007 primarily due to effects of the global financial meltdown, latest data from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) showed.

Both foreign and domestic cargoes dropped from their year-ago levels due to the dismal performance of the country;s import and export sectors.

Volume was also negatively affected by the continuing volume decline at the Cagayan de Oro port- a significant 45.08% for 2008.

Foreign cargoes dipped 11.8% from 82.85 mmt in 2007 to 73.07 mmt with imports dropping 5.16% from 49.46mmt to 46.91 mmt and exports declining 21.64% from 33.39 mmt in 2007to 26.16 in 2008.

According to the PPA, the decline was mostly felt in the ports of Surigao, Limay, Batangas and Nasipit which experienced lower demand for export commodities such as mineral ores, nickel ores, lime, cold rolled coils and coco oil, among others. The shipment of petroleum oil products from Petron Bataan refinery was not also as robust in previous years.

The drop in doemstic cargoes, on the other hand, was mostly felt in North harbor and the ports of Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Ormoc. The only ports that posted positive growth last year included Calapan, Legaspi, Iloilo, Pulupandan, Tacloban, Davao and General Santos.

The Manila International Contanier Terminal (MICT), the country's top international port, remained the country's top cargo handler, receiving 17:25 mmt and showing a 6.16% growth equivalent to 9.46 mmt.

The combined cargo volume at South harbor and MICT comprised 34.90% of the total cargoes received/handled in government ports nationwide.

Despite a slip in domestic containerized volume, total containerized cargoes grew 2.07% to 4.09 million TEUs from 3.996 million twenty-foot TEUs for the period in review. Of the 2008 volume, 2.35 million TEUs or 60.32% was handled at MICT and South Harbor, the rest by all other government ports.

The share in foreign container traffic of the two major gateways stood at 88.27% compared to only 11.73% handled in other government ports.

Import and export container traffic rose 4.07% and 8.08% respectively.

Contanier volume increases were noted at MICT, Batangas, Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Nasipit, Davao, General Santos and Zamboanga.

PortCalls
Monday, March 23, 2009