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The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Manila issued a public advisory reminding all importers, shipping lines, and other concerned stakeholders to comply with prescribed timelines for the release of imported cargoes and the re-exportation of empty containers
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The Port of Manila district collector directed all stakeholders to file the necessary goods declarations, pay assessed duties, taxes, and other charges, and claim or release cleared cargoes within the legally mandated period of 90 days
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Manila issued a public advisory reminding all importers, shipping lines, and other concerned stakeholders to comply with prescribed timelines for the release of imported cargoes and the re-exportation of empty containers — a move that comes as terminal congestion at the country’s biggest port, the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), continues to worsen.
In a memorandum dated May 22, 2026, the District Collector of the Port of Manila directed all stakeholders to file the necessary goods declarations, pay assessed duties, taxes, and other charges, and claim or release cleared cargoes within the legally mandated period. Failure to do so, the advisory warned, will result in such cargoes being deemed abandoned under Section 1129 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Shipping lines are likewise reminded to re-export containers stuffed with imported cargoes within 90 days from the date of return to the shipping lines. Containers that are not re-exported within the prescribed window will be subject to duties and taxes pursuant to Section 5 of Customs Administrative Order (CAO) No. 1-2015.
The memo was issued in connection with a directive from the Commissioner of Customs, also dated May 22, 2026, calling for stricter monitoring and reporting of overstaying containers.
Terminal congestion worsening
The BOC advisory comes at a critical time. The Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) has been appealing to shipping lines, customers, and consignees to expedite the withdrawal of laden containers as the terminal continues to experience higher-than-normal yard utilization and inventory due to longer container dwell times.
In an advisory to shipping line partners, MICT reported that approximately 41% of yard inventory remains beyond free time, placing sustained pressure on terminal operations and resulting in extended vessel waiting times and sporadic empty acceptance across the system.
READ: MICT appeals for faster container withdrawal
MICT said it continues to intensify efforts to minimize the impact on vessels currently queuing at the harbor pilot station, and has been coordinating directly with customers and consignees to help facilitate and prioritize pull-outs.
Private sector calls for concerted action
Association of International Shipping Lines, Inc. (AISL) president Patrick Ronas echoed the urgency of the situation. Ronas noted that some of the overstaying containers at MICT have already been cleared by the BOC but have yet to be picked up by consignees.
“There should be concerted effort amongst all, private and government, to clear the MICT of these overstaying laden [containers],” Ronas said. He also called on customs brokers to remind their clients to be ready to accept cargo as quickly as possible, and urged the BOC to review its own processes to speed up clearance.
On the question of empty containers, Ronas stressed that shipping lines do not benefit from containers staying longer than expected, as the units are needed by other countries for their export requirements. “We continue to be import dominant and it is foreseen that it will remain the same in the long term,” he added.
Background: Longstanding industry concern
The issue of overstaying containers in Philippine ports is a longstanding industry concern. Various stakeholder groups have previously recommended reducing the 90-day container dwell time to force faster withdrawal and free up space in empty depots — a proposal that AISL has strongly opposed, warning it would harm the country’s export sector.
The BOC had earlier initiated consultations with stakeholders following port users sounding the alarm in February over high yard utilization rates — especially for reefer cargoes — at MICT and Manila South Harbor, as well as in empty container depots.
The BOC is currently reviewing container monitoring systems, including the Automated Container Movement Monitoring System and the Customs Container Management System, and is expected to draft a comprehensive order establishing trigger points and threshold levels to proactively manage port congestion, particularly during peak periods from November to February.
READ: Draft rules on empty container monitoring system up for review
