-
The Philippine Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. recommends reducing the dwell time of empty foreign containers to 60 days from the current 90
-
Reduction seen to compel shipping lines to prioritize evacuating their empty boxes faster
-
PCCBI also strongly advocates for the stringent implementation of a Philippine Ports Authority order that directs all cleared import cargoes remaining inside Manila ports for more than 30 days to be transferred to designated ports outside the capital
-
PCCBI also advocates for the passage of bills seeking to strengthen government oversight over the imposition of shipping charges by international shipping lines
-
Proposed law also institutionalizes mechanisms for more efficient movement of goods
The Philippine Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (PCCBI) has made several recommendations to address the recurrent yard congestion problem in Manila ports – and at the top of the list is reducing the dwell time of empty foreign containers to compel shipping lines to prioritize evacuating their empty boxes faster.
PCCBI issued a statement on February 3 as its members and the logistics community have been “grappling with a severe truck deadlock caused by the limited capacity of empty container yards, which prevents the timely return of empties and, in turn, stalls the withdrawal of laden containers from terminals.”
To address “this systemic congestion and normalize trade flows,” PCCBI called for the reduction of the dwell time of foreign empty containers to a maximum of 60 days from the current 90.
Under Bureau of Customs (BOC) rules, foreign empty containers must be re-exported within 90 days after they are returned to the shipping line, otherwise they will be considered importation and subject to payment of duties and taxes.
“This paralysis is exacerbated by trucks remaining tied up with empty containers because ports and carriers have limited space to accept them,” the association noted.
PCCBI said the accelerated timeframe will compel international shipping lines to prioritize the evacuation of overstaying containers, “preventing them from clogging vital terminal space and harming the national economy.”
To reinforce this effort, PCCBI also strongly advocates for the stringent and full implementation of Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Administrative Order (AO) No. 02-2019, which provides the guidelines on the transfer of overstaying imported cargoes from Manila South Harbor (MSH) and Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) to designated ports outside the capital.
Under AO 02-2019, all cleared import cargoes remaining inside the port for more than 30 days must be accelerated for transfer.
READ: PPA issues procedures for quick release of cargoes
“We believe that strictly enforcing this 30-day dwell time limit will help break the current deadlock, provided the associated transfer costs are not unfairly passed on to customs brokers and importers when the delay is caused by shipping lines’ nominated depots,” PCCBI stated.
Moreover, PCCBI said it is actively advocating for the immediate passage of House Bills Nos. 1338 and 4933, collectively known as the International Maritime Trade Competitiveness Act.
These proposed law seeks to strengthen government oversight over the imposition of shipping charges by international shipping lines and institutionalizing mechanisms for the efficient movement of goods.
Under the bill, all international carriers, non-vessel operating common carriers, and forwarders should file all their regular shipping charges and fees with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and publish the same in a newspaper of general circulation.
“These legislative measures are essential to fill the existing jurisdictional gap where no government agency currently has the authority to oversee the activities and local charges imposed by international shipping lines,” the association noted.
Further, PCCBI said by empowering MARINA to regulate the reasonableness of local charges, mandating the publication of all fees, and prohibiting detention charges when shipping lines themselves cause the delay, “we can eliminate the unconscionable and exorbitant fees that currently drive-up prices for Filipino consumers.”
“We call upon our leaders to act with the same determination shown by the Bureau of Customs to move beyond the recurring port congestion,” PCCBI said.
Port stakeholders have earlier sounded the alarm over the high utilization levels at MICT and MSH as well as in empty container depots.
According to BOC, MICT’s yard utilization in January and most of December 2025 was beyond 80% with high reefer utilization. For MSH, January utilization rates ranged from 70% to 80% from 60% to 70% in December 2025.
In a social media post on February 4, BOC said MICT’s yard utilization rate for reefers was at 102.17%, and overall utilization at 82.89% as of 7:00 a.m. of the same day.
For MSH, the overall utilization was at 76.40%; reefers, 58.20%; and bulk and breakbulk, 44.46%.
READ: Port stakeholders fear higher logistics costs due to congestion; trucks in short supply
Several conditions conspired to bring forth congestion, according to PortCalls industry sources: high cargo volume from December to pre-Chinese New Year; limited withdrawal of import containers during the holidays; and, lack of trucks to return empty containers to depots (depots are full) and also pull out laden containers in terminals.— Roumina Pablo
