Manila South Harbor and Batangas Port are operating at “optimal level” amid the government-imposed enhanced community quarantine, listed port operator Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) said.
ATI said government actions such as the issuance of guidelines to address possible logistics issues during the lockdown period have helped the ports it manages to “remain optimal.”
In March, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) had appealed to businesses to immediately remove their ready-for-delivery and overstaying cargoes, warning them that the shutdown of Manila port terminals was possible if they would not heed the request.
“A week after the Lenten break, berth and yard operations at Manila South Harbor have remained steady, with yard utilization at an optimum level of around 70%. Over in Batangas, yard utilization at the Batangas Container Terminal has remained its usual 50%, with manufacturers and industrial locators, mostly based in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), pulling out cargoes in a regular and timely manner,” ATI said.
ATI Executive Vice President William Khoury said: “Government’s early intervention was critical to ensure that terminal operations remain unimpeded, so that the flow of food, raw materials, medicines, health equipment and other essentials remain unhampered, especially during this time of national emergency.”
ATI also reminded its consignees to withdraw their containers at the soonest possible time.
On Monday, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) also reported that operations at the Manila International Container Terminal had returned to normal levels after stakeholders responded to calls to withdraw their overstaying cargoes. — Arjay L. Balinbin
