The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is projecting a 5-percent growth in shipments this year, after sea terminals showed a robust growth during the first half due to stronger trading activities.
Jay Daniel Santiago, general manager of PPA, told the Inquirer that cargo throughput was estimated to reach 285 million metric tons (MT) by the end of the year, higher than 271.97 million MT of shipments the seaports facilitated in 2023.
This projection indicates a continuous growth for the domestic sea terminals, whose cargo volume has already surpassed the prepandemic level of 265.88 million MT.
READ: PPA: Passenger, cargo activity at seaports revving up
In the first half, cargo throughput improved by 6 percent to 138.29 million MT, from 130.08 million MT a year ago.
Container traffic grew by nearly 2 percent to 3.73 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first half, from 3.67 million TEUs the previous year.
Bulk or 49.99 million MT of cargo passed through the ports in Manila and northern Luzon. The next busiest ports for the period were in Visayas, which handled 29.39 million MT. “Latest cargo growth is indicative of the robust trade flow across all ports under the jurisdiction of the PPA,” Santiago said.
The PPA is currently in the process of developing a master plan to establish 10 seaports across the country, to further improve connectivity and supply chain.
READ: PPA to invest P16 billion in 14 big-ticket port projects
These terminals are located in Davila, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte; Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Taytay, Palawan; Buenavista, Guimaras; San Carlos, Negros Occidental; Dumaguete, Negros Oriental; Lazi, Siquijor; Catbalogan, Samar; Zamboanga, Zamboanga del Sur; and Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands. The PPA has also started engaging consultancy services for the feasibility study of 14 big-ticket port projects, which are targeted to be completed by 2028.
These include Port Capinpin Expansion project in Orion, Bataan; Currimao Port Expansion and Restoration project; Tapal Port Expansion in Ubay, Bohol; New Port Development projects in Lavezares, Northern Samar; upgrading of general cargo berth in Davao City Port of Sasa; and expansion of Plaridel Port in Misamis Oriental.
Last month, the PPA issued a notice of award to IBC International Builders Corp., a contractor based in Iloilo, for the P742.98-million port in Aklan, the gateway to popular beach getaway spot Boracay.
It will take about two years and five months to build the cruise ship port. —Tyrone Jasper C. Piad