QUEZON CITY, April 4 — Yard utilization at the Bureau of Customs (BOC)- Manila International Container Port (MICP) will continue to improve in the coming days as a result of the continuing efforts of the BOC to provide facilitated trade amidst COVID-19 pandemic.
Through close coordination with the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), 472 overstaying and abandoned containers have already been transferred to the Pacific Roadlink Logistics, Inc (PRLI) while 925 containers have been transferred to the Manila North Harbor Container Port, Inc. (MNHPI). 78 containers were also transferred to the Laguna Gateway Inland Terminal.
While the transfer of containers provides relief to the yard, this is only a short-term solution. For the long-term, the BOC is reminding importers to claim their containers to free up the yard. Since March 25, the MICP has recorded a total of 10,852 containers claimed from the yard, 1,007 of which are reefers and 9,845 dry containers.
Meanwhile, the yard utilization rate at the Port of Manila (POM) remains low at 58% with reefer yard utilization at 90% as of April 3, 2020. The POM continues to support the MICP in addressing port operations and trigger all entries sent to expedite the payment of duties and taxes and the eventual pull-out of cargoes. From March 24, 2020 up to April 2, 2020, POM has triggered all total of 6,305 entries, of which 4,336 entries or 68% is from MICP. For April 2, 2020, a total of 4,596 containers were processed by POM with 3,522 or 76% of these belonging to MICP.
Both MICP and POM, are doubling its efforts to expedite the release of containers to ensure sufficient supply of goods in the market. (BOC)
