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The Philippine Ports Authority is transferring the authority to manage berth assignments at Cagayan De Oro port to cargo-handling operator Oroport Cargo Handling Services, Inc.
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Under PPA Administrative Order No. 007-2025, berth management at Cagayan De Oro port will move from PPA Port Management Office-Misamis Oriental/Cagayan De Oro to Oroport
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The common-user and ‘first come-first serve’ basis will be the general rule in determining berthing priorities of vessels in Cagayan De Oro port, except in certain circumstances
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is transferring the authority to manage berth assignments at Cagayan De Oro port to cargo-handling operator Oroport Cargo Handling Services, Inc.
Under PPA Administrative Order (AO) No. 007-2025, berth management at Cagayan De Oro port will be moved from the PPA Port Management Office-Misamis Oriental/Cagayan De Oro (PMC) to Oroport, whose contract as cargo-handling operator was renewed last year.
READ: PPA renews Oroport Cagayan de Oro cargo-handling contract
AO No. 007-2025, which takes effect on September 6, provides guidelines for the transfer of authority to “establish the responsibility of Oroport and PPA in undertaking berth management at Port of Cagayan De Oro.”
As a matter of policy, the common-user and “first come-first serve” basis will be the general rule in determining berthing priorities of vessels in Cagayan De Oro port.
In certain cases though, other vessels will be allowed to berth due to extraordinary circumstances. These include the following:
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Vessels in distress or state of emergency when life or property is endangered, unless berthing is not required in such emergency.
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A vessel berthing solely for the purpose of bunkering, loading fresh water or victualling will have the same priority as a vessel in distress.
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Vessels of the Philippine government during the duration of the official business, and vessels of foreign governments on goodwill visits to the Philippines.
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Vessels carrying embarking/disembarking passengers.
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Vessels carrying supplies and relief goods including perishable goods for unloading without delay.
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Vessels intended solely for the purpose of loading fresh water, bunkering or victualling prior to departure for another port, provided that the duration of stay does not exceed the allowable period.
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Other vessels when public interest so requires.
All Notice of Arrivals and Applications for Berth for arriving vessels should be filed by the Masters of the vessels or ship agents with Oroport, while a copy of the same should also be sent to the PMC.
Oroport will also be responsible for the issuance of shifting order to vessels that will be moved from one berth to another. The shifting of the vessel from berth to the anchorage, meanwhile, will require prior clearance by the PPA.
Departure clearance of vessels will continue to be secured from and granted by the PPA. Oroport for its part will ensure that clearance from the PPA has been secured before allowing the vessel to depart.
Moreover, PMC will have supervisory authority and regulatory powers over berth management at the port “to ensure the safe and efficient management of berthing facilities and the smooth flow of cargo and passengers in and out of the port.”
PMC also has the power to resolve conflict of berthing assignments arising from emergency, crisis, natural calamities, strikers, and pier congestion.
AO 007-2025 noted that in order to maximize the utilization of available berths at Cagayan De Oro port, vessels are prohibited to undertake repairs at berth.
Oroport submitted its applications in December 2023 pursuant to PPA AO No. 007-2023, which provides the ports authority’s new guidelines on the renewal of existing contracts on seaport terminal management services.
Oroport’s contract for Cagayan De Oro port was issued on January 15, 2010 and was to expire after December 15, 2024. Oroport has been operating the Cagayan De Oro port since 2004. – Roumina Pablo
