Cargo traffic in Cebu up by 5.5% amid pandemic

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) was able to surpass pre-pandemic levels for cargo throughput by 5.52 percent, registering a total of 41,802,059 metric tons as of August 2021 compared to 39,615,701 metric tons recorded in August 2019.

CPA general manager Leonilo Miole attributed the increase to the port’s roll-on/roll-off (RORO) operations.

Miole thanked all port frontliners and port stakeholders for their services to maintain the 24/7 port operations and at the same time ensure the safety of all port users.

As for passenger traffic, given the strict travel restrictions and community quarantine protocols imposed by the COVID-19 Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) and local government units, CPA registered a total of 3,115,235 arriving and departing passengers passing thru ports of Cebu as of August 2021 compared to the pre-pandemic record of 15,630,877 passenger traffic in August 2019.

To help address the global need for fresh crew of ships, and to ensure the health, safety, welfare and employment of seafarers, CPA together with other government agency partners from the Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime Industry Authority, Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration for the activation of the one-stop-shop (OSS) for Crew Change Hub last October.

 After almost one year of operation, the Port of Cebu Crew Change Hub has already served a total of 131 foreign vessels and 1,722 on-signing and off-signing Filipino and foreign seafarers.

“While the Port of Cebu Crew Change Hub primarily aims to facilitate the speedy movement and transfer of stranded seafarers off their vessels, at the same time, this has also generated revenues for CPA with the collection of port charges from vessels availing the services of the crew change hub,” Miole said in a statement.

Since October 2020, the Port of Cebu crew change hub generated a total of P3,547,785.44 from ship dockage or anchorage fees.

As CPA continues working towards recovery, the Authority also looks forward to the completion of the P1.6B capacity building projects being implemented in the Cebu Baseport which includes the Expansion of R.C Deck and Back-Up Area Phase 2 and 3.

 Other ongoing projects are the construction of Pier 5 and the repair of existing retaining wall, concreting of damaged pavement, provision of flood light tower and drainage systems at Berths 29-30, Malacañan sa Sugbo Area, which will ultimately stimulate the local economy and promote Cebu’s economic growth substantially.

Other Cebu’s big ticket port infrastructure projects underway are the New Cebu International Container Port (NCICP) in Consolacion, Cebu and the construction of San Fernando Port Project.

CPA has highlighted the remarkable role of ports and maritime industries in the national response against COVID-19 and in economic sustainability as the country celebrates the Maritime Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo) this September.

This year’s celebration by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 316, series of 2017, has a theme “Our Seas, Our Livelihood, Our Heritage: Connecting Lives and Nations”. It aims to promote increased public awareness and appreciation of our country’s maritime and archipelagic concerns as integral not only to national security but also to our country’s development.

 “In many ways, our experience has affirmed the remarkable role of ports in COVID-19 response. The responsiveness of the Port of Cebu helped in ensuring the unhampered movement and delivery of goods and other essential commodities such as food, medical supplies, fuel among others amidst the challenges brought about by COVID-19,” said Miole

With the on-going threats of COVID-19, CPA shifted to all-digital MANA Mo celebration adapting to the so-called “new normal” through the production and dissemination of the New Normal Port of Cebu Crew Change Hub Infomercial and CPA COVID-19 Response Video to raise public awareness on the continued port operations and measures implemented by CPA to deliver safe and secure port services. — KQD  (FREEMAN)