Agreed to implement free-delivery System on Cargoes: Port sector meet to ease Manila Port congestion

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has recently announced the implementation of the free-delivery system on port cargoes and containers where consignees, shippers and other stakeholders can now work on the speedy release of their cargoes even during weekends as long as the corresponding documents of the same had been completed.

PPA GM Juan Sta. Ana said that the onset of the holiday season has added to the unusual congestion and the abnormal traffic flow being experienced now in Manila Ports particularly the South Harbor and the Manila International Container Terminal.  “Due to the urgency of the matter, the PPA held meetings and the Bureau of Customs recently in order to find effective ways of mitigating port congestion of cargoes and containers in Manila ports.”

During the meeting representatives from the various stakeholders duly recognized the problem and committed to do their share in resolving the issue on traffic congestion at the Manila ports to include the terminal operators who committed to work and process the release of cargoes 24/7.  Other sectors like the Bureau of Customs committed to extend their working hours during weekdays and up to 5PM during Saturdays while the shipping lines will push their consignees to pull out their cargoes/containers as soon as the documents had been processed.  The shipping lines likewise agreed to tone down on the delivery of empty containers to the ports.

GM Sta. Ana however emphasized that in all these efforts being made by the various stakeholders at the port, the cooperation of the consignees/owners of warehouses to open up on weekends will be crucial.  “With all the efforts that everyone of us in the port sector is doing and committing in order to resolve the problem of congestion, we encourage the consignees to take the free delivery scheme and open up their respective warehouses during Saturdays and Sundays,” Sta. Ana added.

As in previous years, traffic congestion in the ports are experienced most particularly during the last quarter of the year mainly due to the influx of inward cargoes brought about by the onset of the Christmas season.

Likewise due to the effects of imbalance in trading where there are more importations made as compared to the exportation activities, a lot of empty containers are not being shipped out as fast as they should. ?