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Foreign cargo handled by eight major international container terminals in the country grew 7.7% to 1.915 million twenty-foot equivalent units in the first half of the year
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Imports processed by the eight terminals rose 8.9% to 1.484 million TEUs while exports grew 3.8% to 430,907 TEUs, based on data from the Association of International Shipping Lines
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Manila ports still cornered the bulk, with Manila International Container Terminal and Manila South Harbor handling the biggest volumes
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For the full year, AISL is forecasting a year-on-year increase of 9.2% in imports and 3.8% in exports
Foreign cargo handled by eight major international container terminals in the country grew 7.7% to 1.915 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first half of 2025 from 1.777 million TEUs in the same period last year, according to data from the Association of International Shipping Lines, Inc. (AISL).
Presented by AISL president Patrick Ronas on September 4, the first day of the 2025 Supply Chain Conference organized by the Supply Chain Association of the Philippines, the data came from eight international terminals: Manila South Harbor, Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), Batangas Container Terminal (BCT), Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), Cebu International Port (CIP), Davao International Container Terminal (DICT), Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT), and South Cotabato Integrated Port Services, Inc. (SCIPSI).
Imports handled by the eight rose 8.9% to 1.484 million TEUs in the first half of the year from 1.362 million TEUs in the same period last year.
MICT accounted for the biggest share of imports with 841,234 TEUs.
Import volume of the other terminals were:
- Manila South Harbor – 314,205 TEUs
- CIP – 76426 TEUs
- BCT – 70,176 TEUs
- DICT – 60,765 TEUs
- SBITC – 59,584 TEUs
- MCT – 51,347 TEUs
- SCIPSI – 10,186 TEUs
Exports likewise grew 3.8% to 430,907 TEUs from 415,005 TEUs during the period in review.
MICT handled the biggest volume at 189,640 TEUs, higher than the 180,580 TEUs it recorded in the first half of last year.
For the other terminals, their export volumes in the first half were:
- Manila South Harbor – 76,889 TEUs
- DICT – 48,117 TEUs
- MCT – 36,559 TEUs
- SBITC – 23,826 TEUs
- BCT – 20,368 TEUs
- CIP – 19,317 TEUs
- SCIPSI – 16,191 TEUs
For the full year, AISL is forecasting a year-on-year increase of 9.2% in imports and 3.8% in exports.
READ: Top PH international ports handle 5.4% more containers in 2024
The projections are positive but also “very conservative” as the effects of the US tariffs are still uncertain, Ronas told PortCalls at a chance interview at the sidelines of the conference.
Still, Ronas during his presentation at the conference, said the Philippines may be insulated “at the start” in terms of volumes since it still imports more than it exports, and being a more consumer-driven economy.
Moreover, Ronas said the country’s foreign trade is still heavily intra-Asia and China.– Roumina Pablo
