By AMIT MAHESHWARI
Manila is crowded again. Yard use is high, boxes sit longer, and truckers queue before sunrise. Every time imports spike, the same cycle repeats: storage climbs, DO release slows, and forwarders get stuck answering customer calls about delays they didn’t cause.
This round of congestion is no different. But the reason it hurts more now is simple: the gap between port movement and data movement has widened. When the terminal slows down, any small mistake in paperwork becomes an expensive delay. And most of these mistakes start long before the vessel reaches Manila.
This column breaks down what’s happening, why it matters, and what forwarders need to fix at the data level if they want to reduce charges and protect their margins.
What’s happening at the ports
Manila’s main terminals have been operating with heavy yard loads for weeks. Import volumes from China and intra-Asia lanes came in fast. Boxes are being cleared in batches instead of a steady flow. Truckers report long wait times, especially during peak entry hours.
Inside the terminals, yard space is tight. That means boxes don’t move out the moment they’re ready. Even when the port wants to push containers out, it cannot if the yard is full or if truck allocation is uneven.
This pushes everything down the line:
– Delayed DO release
– Slow stripping schedules at CFS
– Fewer truck slots
– Breaks in visibility for forwarders
– Higher storage for shippers
When congestion builds, even a clean shipment takes longer to pull out. A messy shipment? That one goes straight into the “charge pile.”
The hidden source of most delays
Most forwarders blame congestion on terminals, truck bans, and Customs checks. All valid. But the real damage usually starts earlier — at origin.
Small data mistakes cause long delays during congestion:
– BL details corrected late
– Wrong HS codes
– Incomplete packing list
– Manifest updates not synced between origin and PH teams
– Surrender/OBL issues not fixed before ETA
– Missing consignee codes for Customs
– Poor pre-alerts from partner agents
During normal weeks, these errors are manageable. During congestion, they turn into storage bills, revalidations, and follow-ups that burn half your day.
A container sitting two extra days because the BL had to be amended is no longer a “paperwork issue.” It’s a charge that your customer will argue about for a month.
Congestion won’t end soon. But avoidable delays can. And most of them start with pre-arrival data.
Why IT now matters more than trucking
Forwarders still treat data quality as a side task. But when ports slow down, clean data becomes the only form of speed you control.
Here’s where systems make the difference:
1. A single job file across all branches
When Manila, Cebu, and Singapore teams work on different versions of the same shipment, mistakes creep in. A unified system stops that. One job file means one truth.
2. Strong master data
Wrong port codes, outdated customer profile, wrong charge master — these are tiny errors that become deadly in congestion
3. Milestone tracking
If your teams wait for the terminal to update, you’re already behind. You need predictable updates, not reactive ones.
4. Digital DO and secure document flow
Manual chasing wastes truck slots. When DO is delayed by hours during congestion, you lose the full day.
5. Automated pre-alert checks
Systems that flag missing BL data, packing list details, or HS code mismatch save time and reduce repeat-follow-ups with origin.
None of this is about fancy tech. It’s about preventing the three things that kill you during congestion:
Wrong data. Late data. Missing data.
The day-to-day impact for forwarders
When yard loads rise, the forwarder becomes the shock absorber between customer expectations and port reality.
The common pain points today:
– Customers ask for fixed delivery dates you cannot give
– Truckers push rush fees
– CFS holds boxes because docs don’t match
– Customs delays from minor inaccuracies
– Agents abroad send incomplete paperwork
– Billing disputes because customers think storage is “your fault”
The deeper problem is that Manila’s congestion exposes every weak part of a forwarder’s workflow:
bad master data, scattered communication, delayed approvals, and slow internal checks.
What to watch in the coming weeks
Forwarders should keep a close eye on these signals:
1. Yard capacity updates from MICT and South Harbor
High yard use always predicts rising storage.
2. Manifest filing response time
When Customs systems slow down, corrections take longer.
3. China feeder delays
Even a one-day shift in China ripples through Manila arrival patterns.
4. Weather alerts
Typhoons still disrupt feeder schedules and gate operations.
5. Truck ban windows
Congestion makes these windows more painful than usual.
The point is not to predict the congestion cycle — the cycle is already here. The point is to prevent self-made delays inside your own operation.
What to avoid
These are mistakes that cost forwarders the most during congestion:
– Sending DO runners without checking gate schedules
– Allowing origin to send poor pre-alerts
– Promising fixed delivery dates when port data is unstable
– Fixing paperwork only after the vessel arrives
– Relying on WhatsApp to coordinate across branches
Every one of these errors becomes more expensive during congestion.
Closing line
When ports slow down, trucks can’t save you. Clean data can. Speed in Manila now starts long before the ship drops anchor.
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