-
Cargoes handled by ports under the Philippine Ports Authority grew 6.6% in 2025 to 308.5 million metric tons, exceeding the 301.47 million mt target
-
Container traffic grew 2% to more than eight million TEUs
-
RoRo traffic increased 13.3% to 12.81 million units in 2025, and is projected to grow by 6.15% in 2026
-
Ship calls rose 7% to 664,817 units
Philippine ports handled higher cargo, container, and roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) traffic in 2025, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
Cargoes handled by ports under PPA’s jurisdiction grew 6.6% in 2025 to 308.5 million metric tons (mt) from 289.4 million mt in 2024, PPA said in a statement. It also surpassed PPA’s earlier stated target of 301.47 million mt cargoes.
Domestic cargo grew by 8.84% in 2025 to 114.09 million mt from 104.83 million mt in 2024. The growth was fueled by higher shipments of construction materials, petroleum products, and industrial raw materials supporting infrastructure development, industrial activity, and inclusive economic progress nationwide, PPA said.
Foreign cargo likewise improved 5.33% to 194.41 million mt from 184.58 million metric tons in 2024, “demonstrating the Philippines’ growing role in regional and global supply chains and highlighting investor confidence in the country’s trade capacity,” PPA said in a news release.
In terms of containers, PPA recorded more than eight million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, 2% higher than the 7.842 million TEUs.
Foreign containers reached 5.55 million TEUs, up 8.2% from the 5.133 TEUs in 2024. Domestic containers also grew 10.7% to 2.99 million TEUs from 2.7 million TEUs in 2024.
“These figures reflect the ports’ continuous support for domestic and international commerce, keeping goods moving efficiently across the nation and beyond,” PPA noted.
Ship calls rose to 664,817 in 2025, an increase of 7% from 621,374 in 2024. PPA said the higher ship signals “stronger trade demand and improved port efficiency” and “reinforces Philippine ports as reliable and competitive hubs that help drive national economic progress.”
RoRo traffic, a key pillar of inter-island connectivity, also grew to 12.81 million units in 2025, a 13.3% increment from 11.307 million units from 2024. RoRo traffic is projected to grow by 6.15% in 2026, reflecting sustained demand for cost effective transport solutions that connect the islands and empower Filipino enterprises, PPA said.
READ: DOTr awards Ro-Ro/FTM consultancy project to Filipino-Dutch JV
“These 2025 results reflect our commitment to a more efficient, reliable, and interconnected port system that supports economic growth across the archipelago. As we enter 2026, we remain focused on delivering solid results that translate to safer, more reliable, and more accessible port service and national development,” PPA general manager Jay Santiago said.
Santiago earlier said PPA is “always confident” that it will hit its targets.
For 2026, Santiago said PPA’s outlook “in so far as economic indicators are concerned, we’re very bullish” that volumes will continue to increase.
“I think the only things lang that will affect the outlook will be things that are beyond our control, which is… climate-related considerations,” he said, noting that weather disturbances can temporarily halt port operations.
Moreover, Santiago said external issues such as the U.S. reciprocal tariff so far have no effect as cargo traffic continues to improve.
READ: PPA poised to hit 2025 targets, optimistic of steady performance
