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Cagayan De Oro Port welcomed the maiden voyage of intra-Asia carrier CNC’s container vessel, MV Arionas
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The 17,785 gross tonnage ship called on October 16 and unloaded 350 containers, and then loaded another 350 containers
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Aside from MV Arionas, another CNC vessel, MV Heng Hui 5, made its maiden call to Cagayan De Oro port on October 6
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The maiden calls come as efforts to revive international container cargo operations at Cagayan De Oro port are being made by the Bureau of Customs-Port of Cagayan De Oro, port operator Oroport Cargo Handling Services, Inc., and CNC parent firm CMA CGM
Cagayan De Oro port welcomed the maiden voyage of intra-Asia carrier Cheng Lie Navigation Company’s (CNC) container vessel, MV Arionas.
The 17,785 gross tonnage ship called on October 16 and unloaded 350 containers and then loaded another 350 containers, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
MV Arionas is part of CNC’s China South East Express Service (CP2CNC), which connects South China and the Philippines.
Aside from MV Arionas, another CNC vessel, MV Heng Hui 5, made its maiden call to Cagayan De Oro port on October 6. It came from China and discharged 114 boxes, and then loaded 1,235 boxes before its next voyage to South Korea.
The maiden calls come as efforts to revive international container cargo operations at Cagayan De Oro port are being made by the Bureau of Customs-Port of Cagayan De Oro (BOC-CDO), port operator Oroport Cargo Handling Services, Inc., and global shipping and logistics giant CMA CGM. CNC is the dedicated Intra-Asia shortsea specialist brand of CMA CGM.
READ: Cagayan de Oro port gears up for return of foreign containers
On October 14, BOC-CDO led a forum focused on ways to rationalize and harmonize the documentary requirements for international container cargo among BOC, Oroport, and PPA.
Oroport Vice President Michael Teotico said the transition of international container operations to Cagayan De Oro port is meant to open more economic opportunities for the city and the wider Misamis Oriental province. He added that the move is expected to spur regional growth.
Exporters and importers, meanwhile, raised operational concerns during the gathering, and discussed ways to reduce shipment delays and keep cargo moving.
BOC-CDO District Collector Arnaldo Saulong acknowledged that the transition may bring operational challenges, but gave assurance that the agency will address them through close coordination and quick action to keep the changeover smooth.
The CDO city government’s Roads and Traffic Administration will carry out clearing operations in barangays around the port to ease congestion as international container operations start.
Cagayan De Oro port, or Macabalan Wharf, used to handle international container cargo, but stopped in early 2000s when import facilitation moved to the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) sub-port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
In April 2021, BOC said it wanted to restore the port’s status as an international shipment facility. The move followed requests from shipping lines led by American President Lines. The lines estimated 300 to 400 containers per week, and PPA had allotted 23,000 square meters of the designated port area. The PPA also started upgrading stacking capacity to handle international cargo.
On March 14, 2022, the port received its first foreign container ship in 11 years. The Portuguese-flagged AS Romina, operated by CMA CGM, arrived from China with 2,961 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), including 2,808 import TEUs. Cargo included buttermilk, dry veneer, frozen products, truck parts, appliances and furniture. CMA CGM then expected three to four international container calls a month.
Oroport has handled cargo at the port since 2004. In 2024, PPA renewed its cargo-handling contract for another 10 years.
