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Hapag-Lloyd is not accepting new bookings to Manila, Batangas and Subic Bay from any origin, citing congestion and limited depot capacity for empties
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The suspension runs through December 31, 2026, and the carrier says any change will be announced separately
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The move comes as brokers and truckers protest over empty container returns
Hapag-Lloyd has suspended new bookings to the Philippines’ three main gateways, Manila, Batangas and Subic Bay, saying continued port congestion and severe limits on depot and empty container return capacity are straining operations.
In a customer advisory posted on its website, the carrier said it is not accepting new bookings to Manila (PHMNL), Batangas (PHBTG) and Subic Bay (PHSFS) from any origin or on any trade lane. The suspension is effective immediately and is scheduled to run through December 31, 2026. “Any change to this period will be communicated separately,” the advisory said.
Hapag-Lloyd said the measure is meant to ease further pressure on the three locations while it works with local partners on the backlog and container flows. The advisory does not say what conditions would lead the carrier to resume bookings earlier.
Hapag-Lloyd said its Customer Service team will contact customers directly if a booking is cancelled or needs revised arrangements. Customers with cargo already in transit should ask their local Customer Service representative for shipment-specific guidance. The carrier asked customers to include their booking or bill of lading number when reaching out through its local offices page or their Sales representative.
Background: months of strain over empty containers
The suspension caps a week of port protests. On October 5, the Practicing Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines Inc. (PCBAPI) began a “digital protest and rest day,” advising brokers not to generate gate passes, make bookings or issue truck manifests, and truckers not to accept gate passes or provide hauling services. A day later, five trucking and port groups started a separate trucking holiday, scheduled to end October 8.
As of October 8, PCBAPI has temporarily withheld its protest, saying International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) are now continuously accepting empty containers. PortCalls could not immediately verify the claim. ATI data show Manila South Harbor truck trips stayed within the normal daily range from October 5 to 7. PCBAPI said its bigger demand, that foreign shipping lines evacuate their empties, still stands.
The protests stem from weeks of tension over where empty containers can be returned. At a September 23 forum in Manila, truckers, customs brokers, importers and logistics firms urged a nationwide transport strike, as PortCalls reported. They cited port congestion, truckers waiting up to two weeks for depots to accept empties, allegedly arbitrary detention fees, high fuel prices and a driver shortage. PCBAPI said foreign shipping lines had reportedly refused empty returns for up to a month, leaving “thousands of empty containers” stranded in truckers’ garages and private depots.
On the government side, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has drafted a proposed joint administrative order (JAO) on port congestion and empty container returns, which Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno has said is ready for signing. Pending the signing, BOC is strictly enforcing the 90-day dwell time for foreign containers under Customs Administrative Order 08-2019.
The problem is not new. In 2018, PortCalls reported that Metro Manila’s container yards had not grown even as imports rose, with roughly three imports for every export in the Philippines. A planned truckers’ strike was then averted through an interim deal between the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations and the Association of International Shipping Lines. The deal set a 24-hour maximum wait for empty returns.
