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The Philippine Ports Authority expects to end 2022 with a 10% increase in cargo and container volumes
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The new projection exceeds the earlier target of 7% to 8%
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For 2023, a 7%-8% growth in cargo and container volumes is eyed
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The authority also sees passenger traffic hitting 57 million by end-December, improving 20-25% in 2023
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is expecting a nearly 10% increase in cargo and container volumes in 2022, according to general manager Jay Daniel Santiago.
The new projection is higher than the earlier target of 7% to 8%, Santiago said in a press conference on December 16.
Container volume of ports under PPA’s jurisdiction grew 6.84% in January-September 2022 to 5.865 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 5.49 million TEUs in the same period last year. Cargo volume, in contrast, declined 1.66% to 196.81 million metric tons in January-September 2022 from 200.14 million MT in the same period last year.
For 2023, Santiago said the target for cargo and containers is 7%-8% growth.
For passengers, PPA recorded a 181% surge to 43.23 million from 15.41 million in the first nine months of 2021. Santiago said passenger traffic may hit 57 million by end-December and forecasts a 20-25% increase in 2023.
Next year, cruise ship calls will resume after being suspended since 2020 due to the pandemic. Santiago said there is already a booking for a cruise ship call on Palawan next March.
Santiago said the increase in passenger traffic may be due to “revenge travel,” as people are traveling more after two years of strict travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said he also noticed more travelers to “previously undiscovered” areas, such as in Eastern Visayas, which are still inaccessible by air travel or where air travel connection is still to be developed.
To handle the forecast continued increase in passenger traffic, Santiago said the ports authority is building mega terminals for sea travel, especially in ports along the nautical highway.
Last year, Batangas port operator Asian Terminals Inc. inaugurated the newly completed Phases 1 and 2A of Batangas port’s integrated passenger terminal building. The facility can now serve around 3,500 passengers at any given time.
Next March, the PPA is expected to inaugurate the new passenger terminal building in Calapan port, Mindoro Oriental. This will become the biggest passenger terminal in the country until the new facility in Zamboanga port is inaugurated. – Roumina Pablo
