What happened
Manila’s main gateways are tightening up. As of early March 2026, yard utilization at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) has hit 84.45%. Manila South Harbor is close behind at 79.80%. The Palace has already ordered the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to step up monitoring to prevent a total standstill. Weekend congestion is becoming the new normal, even if weekday flow stays steady for now.
High yard use means slower crane movements and longer truck turnaround times. When the yard is over 80% full, port operators have to “shuffle” containers more often to reach specific boxes. This adds hours to every pickup. For you, this isn’t just a delay; it is a direct risk of missing delivery windows or racking up storage fees because the truck couldn’t get in and out fast enough.
What it means for you
Expect truck queuing times at MICT and South Harbor to double on Fridays and Saturdays. Move your “Available for Delivery” (AD) containers on Tuesday or Wednesday to avoid the weekend bottleneck.
In a congested port, manual scheduling is a recipe for demurrage. Use a Terminal Appointment Booking System (TABS) integrated with your fleet’s GPS. This allows you to see real-time “gate-in” and “gate-out” speeds. High-end visibility tools now send automated alerts when a terminal hits 80% capacity, giving you a 24-hour head start to reroute trucks or pull boxes before the yard becomes a “parking lot.”
What you should watch
Watch the BOC accreditation of new off-dock container yards. The government is pushing for more “spillover” space to move overstaying boxes out of the terminal.
Also, keep an eye on Cebu and Subic rates. Cebu is currently at only 33% utilization, making it a much safer entry point for Visayas-bound cargo compared to transshipping through a choked Manila.
What to avoid
Do not leave “cleared” containers in the yard to save on warehouse space. The BOC is under pressure to flag “overstaying” cargo to clear the docks. If your box sits past its free time, you face a higher risk of being moved to an expensive off-dock facility without much warning. Avoid using brokers who still rely on phone calls for status updates; if they aren’t using the Port Authority’s digital dashboard, they won’t see the congestion spike until your truck is already stuck in line.
If you haven’t automated your DO (Delivery Order) processing yet, the 48-hour delay in manual paperwork will likely result in your container being shuffled to the bottom of the stack during this peak.
Amit Maheshwari is the CEO of Softlink Global. He built Logi-Sys, a freight platform now used in over 50 countries. With 30 years in the industry, he focuses on fixing operational bottlenecks through software. He writes “IT in Logistics” for PortCalls Asia to cut through the tech hype and address the reality of moving cargo.
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