PH Ports Among SEA's Top 20

Philippine ports are in the top 20 list of South East Asia in terms of growth and capacity, according to the latest Drewry Maritime Research.

Photo Insert: On a per-terminal basis, the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the Philippines’ largest international gateway, ranked 3rd among the largest gateway ports in the region (excluding transshipment and domestic volumes).

In fact, the Port of Manila was the only one in the region which registered double-digit growth last year while its largest counterparts in SEA either posted single-digit increases or decline in volumes, the study stated.

The effectiveness of ports can be measured in terms of Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), the exact unit used to determine cargo capacity for container ships and terminals, Drewry pointed out.

The Port of Manila handled a total of 5,474,484 TEUs in 2022, up 10 percent increase versus the 4,976,014 TEUs handled in 2021, making it the seventh busiest gateway port in South East Asia (including all container, gateway, transshipment and domestic cargo).

The Drewry research also showed that in terms of gateway volumes, the Port of Manila ranked 6th, with a growth rate of 10.7 percent, handling a total of 3,962,111 TEUs in 2022 compared to 3,580,642 TEUs in the preceding year. Ports in the Southern Philippines likewise grew in terms of volume.

The Port of Cebu ranked 13th in SEA, with a 2.5 percent year-on-year increase after handling 937,052 TEUs in 2022 from 914,111 TEUs in 2021. The Port of Davao ranked 15th, with a 0.1 percent growth, handling 824,898 TEUs in 2022 from 824,343 TEUs in the previous year.

On a per-terminal basis, the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the Philippines’ largest international gateway, ranked 3rd among the largest gateway ports in the region (excluding transshipment and domestic volumes).

The MICT handled 2,508,119 TEUs in 2021 – just behind Westport Kelang Multi Terminal in Malaysia and Saigon NewPort – Cat Lai Terminal in Vietnam. The MICT bagged the 11th spot in the list of the top 20 terminals in the region while Manila North Port ranked 19th.

Now, “The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is further improving its level of commitment towards strengthening and evolving Philippine ports to cater to global demands," according to General Manager Jay Santiago.

The Drewry data prove that Philippine ports are among the leading ports in South East Asia, he reiterated in a statement.

“These figures are not just development in the Philippine ports’ South East Asia ranking, these are contributing factors that can positively impact our economy, including transportation, logistics, and manufacturing, generating employment opportunities and contributing to economic development," Santiago concluded.

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