PH ports accelerate 2022 performance, among strongest in S.E. Asia
The Manila International Container Terminal at the Port of Manila
Philippine ports continued to participate in economic globalization, advancing its development among countries in South East Asia as reflected in the latest data from Drewry Maritime Research, surpassing static volumes of other South East Asian peers.
The port strategy report shows that the Port of Manila was the only port in the region with a double-digit growth compared to the the largest ports in the region with a decline in volumes and other ports in the region recording only single-digit increases.
One of the ways to measure the effectiveness of ports can be through Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) which is the exact unit of measurement used to determine cargo capacity for container ships and terminals. In 2022, the Port of Manila was able to handle a total of 5,474,484 TEUs, marking a significant 10 percent increase compared to the 4,976,014 TEUs handled in 2021, making it the 7th busiest gateway port in South East Asia (including all container, gateway, transshipment and domestic cargo). The research also shows that in terms of gateway volumes, the Port of Manila ranked 6th, with a growth rate of 10.7 percent after handling a total of 3,962,111 TEUs in 2022 compared to 3,580,642 TEUs in the preceding year.
On the other hand, ports in the South also demonstrated huge advancements such as the Port of Cebu which ranked 13th, with a 2.5 percent year-on-year increase after handling 937,052 TEUs in 2022 from 914,111 TEUs in 2021; and the Port of Davao, at the 15th spot, with a 0.1 percent growth, handling 824,898 TEUs in 2022 from 824,343 TEUs in the previous year.
On a per terminal basis, the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the Philippines’ largest international gateway, ranked 3rd amongst the largest gateway ports in the region (excluding transshipment and domestic volumes) after handling 2,508,119 TEUs in 2021 – just behind Westport Kelang Multi Terminal in Malaysia and Saigon NewPort – Cat Lai Terminal in Vietnam.
MICT bagged the 11th spot out of the top 20 terminals in the region while Manila NorthPort ranked 19th. PPA General Manager Jay Santiago said this success is a product of commitment, hardwork, and transparency to create more port infrastructures that are at par with global trade.
“The PPA is further improving its level of commitment towards strengthening and evolving Philippine ports to cater global demands. The figures last year as shown in the data is a testament that Philippine ports are one of the leading ports in South East Asia”, said Santiago.
“These figures are not just development in the Philippine ports’ South East Asia ranking, these are contributing factors that can positively impact our economy, including transportation, logistics, and manufacturing, generating employment opportunities and contributing to economic development," Santiago concluded.
Philippine Ports Authority. (2023 June 19). PH ports accelerates 2022 performance, among strongest in S.E. Asia. https://www.ppa.com.ph/content/ph-ports-accelerate-2022-performance-amo…