PPA sets ultimatum for idle containers

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has given importers and brokers an ultimatum to remove their overstaying customs-cleared cargoes inside the congested ports of Manila.

PPA general manager Juan Sta. Ana said cargo owners have until Sept. 8 to withdraw their boxes at the Manila ports,
otherwise these containers would be shipped immediately to the ports of Subic and Batangas “at their expense.”

“We already identified and reasonably informed the owners of these containers, who vary from big-time to small-time, and we will no longer notify them if they fail to meet the Sept. 8 deadline,” he said.

Sta. Ana explained the measure is aimed at decongesting Manila ports of overstaying containers of erring importers that use the ports as their virtual warehouses.

“Please understand that this is not to punish our importers but only to clear as much space as possible in preparation for the influx of cargoes due to the peak season and reduce pressure on inflation,” he said.

Based on inventory, there is a significant number of customs-cleared and customs-cleared with gate pass cargoes stacked up at the Manila ports.

Customs-cleared containers are boxes that already paid the proper duties and taxes to the Bureau of Customs (BOC), but have yet to pay the cargo-handling fees.

Customs-cleared cargoes with gate pass, on the other hand, are boxes that already paid both the duties and taxes and the cargo-handling fees but remain stored at the ports for one reason or another.

Last Wednesday, MV Asterix shipped out 1,154 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of overstaying containers to Subic from the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) in its bid to make more room for the expected upsurge in cargo movement during the Christmas season.

The PPA, BOC and port operators International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and Asian Terminals Inc. have identified about 3,000 more TEUs to be shipped out of the ports of Manila.

Currently, importers, exporters and brokers have a five-day grace period after the BOC issued clearance to remove their containers. The cargo would be seized in favor of the government after 15 days.

The PPA is also looking at a ten-fold increase in storage fees to decongest the ports of Manila.