TOTAL air cargo and mail traffic to
and from the Philippines saw minimal growth for the
first three months of the year, according to latest
data from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).
From January to March, total cargo volume
went up 0.37% to 73,423,833 kilograms from 73,151,291
kg during the same period last year (see table on
page 4). This, despite the fact that many airlines
reported more sluggish operations. Total inbound shipments
for the period was 34,269,462 kg., up 6.4% from 32,206,774
kg handled during the same period last year.
Outbound shipments, on the other hand,
totaled 39,154,371 kg, down 4.37%. Philippine Airlines
(PAL) remained the country's top air cargo carrier
after transporting a total of 15,717,122 kg, up 17.71%
compared with last year's 13,352,398 kg.
PAL carried 14,488,179 kg of cargoes
to and from Manila and 1,228,943 kg to and from Cebu.
In second place was express carrier United Parcel
Service with a total of 7,191,598 kg, 3,539,504 kg
of which were inbound shipments and 3,652,094 kg were
outbound. This was a 42.78% improvement compared with
the 5,036,782 kg handled during the same period last
year.
Despite a decline of 0.55%, Cathay Pacific
managed to land in third place with 7,124,715 kg from
7,163,994 kg. The Hong Kong-based carrier transported
a total of 5,598,701 kg to and from Manila, while
its Cebu operations handled 1,526,014 kg.
Singapore Airlines ranked fourth with
5,532,932 kg, up 21.83% from 4,541,466 kg transported
a year ago. In fifth place was Korean Air whose Philippine
volume fell 6.1% to 4,584,447 kg from 4,882,062 kg.
Close on its heels was Taiwan-based
Eva Air which ranked sixth after shipments to and
from the Philippines jumped 48.67% to 4,339,593 kg
from 2,918,931 kg.
Rounding off the top ten cargo carriers
for the period were: Thai Airways, 3,276,180 kg, down
9.35% compared with 3,614,092 kg; Northwest Orient,
2,893,245 kg, also down 33.18% from 4,329,728 kg;
Nippon Cargo, 2,721,190 kg, down 20.71% from 3,431,802
kg; and Japan Airlines, 2,682,839 kg, down 2.77% from
2,759,294 kg.
ICTSI implements stricter
security measures at MICT
INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL SERVICES,
INC. (ICTSI) recently reinforced security measures
at its Philippine flagship operation, Manila International
Container Terminal (MICT), in line with the July 1
global implementation of the International Ship and
Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code of the United Nations'
International Maritime Organization (IMO).
"We cannot underestimate the seriousness
of terrorism, which prompted security authorities
to consolidate efforts at a global level, as demonstrated
in the focus made on the ISPS Code," said Felipe C.
Pacheco, ICTSI Terminal Manager.
"It is for this pressing reason that
all MICT port users and ICTSI employees must adhere
to stricter safety and security measures," he added.
The following reinforced security measures include:
• No vehicles of any kind are allowed in
the areas of the container yard and the dockside.
• Comprehensive security checks will be made
by guards on all persons and vehicles entering the
MICT.
• The no ID, no entry policy is strictly enforced.
• No private cars, either owned by ICTSI officers
and employees or other port users, can use the restricted
or "red" lanes inside the terminal. Only authorized
terminal vehicles will be allowed to ply the "red"
lanes.
• In addition, no one is allowed to loiter
or walk around the "red" lanes except in cases of
emergency. At no time should anyone be seen on these
restricted lanes without written authority.
Following the tragic event of September
11, 2001, the 22nd session of the assembly of the
IMO unanimously agreed to the development of new measures
relating to the development of new measures relating
to the security of ships and port facilities.
In December 2002, the Diplomatic Conference
on Maritime Security held in London adopted new provisions
in the 1974 International Convention for Safety of
Life at Sea. These new requirements form the international
framework through which ships and port facilities
can cooperate to detect and deter the growing acts
of terrorism that threatens security in the maritime
transport sector.
A total of 108 contracting governments
attended the 2002 IMO convention, with the Philippines
as one of the signatories.
96% of Philippine-flagged
ships with security plans
TWO days before the implementation of
the International Ship and Port Facility Security
(ISPS) Code, 96% or 160 ships from the 166 Philippine-registered
ships engaged in international voyages have ship security
plans submitted to various Recognized Security Organizations.
Around 112 ships or 67% have been issued
international ships security certificates. As for
the ports, 65 have submitted their respective Port
Facility Security Assessment (PFSA) and Port Facility
Security Plan (PFSP). These ports are covered by Philippine
Ports Authority (PPA), the Cebu Ports Authority and
the rest are private ports servicing international
ships.
Cecilio R. Penilla, head of the Office
of the Transportation Security (OTS), said the Philippines
is making substantial progress in strengthening maritime
security. "The private sector and the government must
continue working closely together in order to ensure
the country's compliance to the ISPS code," he said.
The OTS recently conducted the "Seminar-Workshop
on Guidance to Review, Assessment and Plans" in cooperation
with the Department of Transportation and Regional
Services of Australia and the Philippine Ports Authority.
The seminar was conducted in a bid to ensure compliance
to the ISPS Code.
Penilla said the seminar-workshop was
aimed at further educating participants on the Safety
of Life At Seas (SOLAS) Chapter XI-2 and the ISPS
Code. Officials from the OTS, PPA, Philippine Coast
Guard and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
attended the workshop.
Penilla disclosed Transport Secretary
Leandro Mendoza also issued three department orders
directing the PCG, PPA and the MARINA to assist the
OTS with the implementation of the ISPS Code. Mendoza,
he said, further instructed 20 PCG, 11 PPA and 10
MARINA officers to report to OTS for training and
guidance.
The OTS, meanwhile, has organized ten
teams to undertake on-site verification of 60 ports
throughout the country from June 21-25, 2004.
THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)
is keen on pursuing its plan to upgrade the port of
Dumaguete pending identification of potential alternative
expansion sites.
Dumaguete Port manager Felix Barcala
said the PPA has already set aside millions of pesos
for the improvement of the port but was hampered by
resistance from Siliman University and the local community
there. The community is opposing the port agency's
project because it will block the view of the century-old
university, situated right behind the port premises.
Barcala said the Dumaguete port needs
to be upgraded to attract more ships since competition
with nearby private ports is getting tougher. He said
the port needs a passenger terminal while its cargo
and container yard needs to be expanded. As it is,
the 1,945-square meter back-up area is often divided
into two to accommodate the swelling volume of cargoes
and passengers at the port. "As of now, this is our
biggest setback
This port deficiency discourages ships
to take in more cargo bound for the region. This is
also true with the passengers," Barcala noted. For
the first two months of the year, the port posted
a 5% increase in passenger and vessel traffic.
Cargo volume, however, fell 18% due
to the weak economy. Barcala claimed the increase
in passenger volume and shipcalls was brought about
by the Strong Republic Nautical Highway.
AIRCRAFT manufacturer Airbus denied
being in talks with Clark International Airport officials
regarding its alleged plan to put up a maintenance
hub in the said area.
Airbus Regional Communications representative
Anthony Philips, in a recent press briefing, earlier
refused to comment on news reports that it will pour
in around $250 million for the plan.
He disclosed, however, that Airbus
is in talks with local carriers Philippine Airlines
(PAL) and Cebu Pacific to supply them with wide-bodied
aircraft, particularly the 150-seater A320. PAL, an
Airbus customer for over 30 years now, maintains four
A340s for its long-haul flights, eight A330-300s for
regional routes, and three A320s as part of the refleeting
in 1999. PAL is planning to acquire more aircraft
for upgrade. Cebu Pacific is planning to refleet with
14 new aircraft.
Meanwhile, Airbus is expanding its base
for freighters as it gains more orders from leading
air freight carriers such as Federal Express (FedEx),
DHL, TNT, Channel Express, Air Hong Kong and United
Parcel Service (UPS). The company said discussions
are under way with more operators as it continually
builds production of A300F4-600R regional freighters
and the new A380F4-600R. Philips said the market for
freight operations is growing relatively faster than
the passenger business, at least in the Asia-Pacific
region.
According to the World Fleet Forecast,
freight volume by 2022 will total 3,283 billion, a
119% increase compared with 1,499 billion 20 years
ago. "There is a very strong market potential for
the freighter side," Philips said, adding that freighter
giants such as Emirates, UPS and FedEx are already
anticipating deliveries of their A380-800F freighter
by 2008.
He said FedEx has ordered ten A380,
while it already operates around 42 A300s and 51 A310s.
UPS, on the other hand, placed 90 orders of A380,
36 of which were already delivered. Airbus said A300F4-600R
has become one of the industry's best-selling single
freighter types, which received a total of 134 orders.
The aircraft was dubbed to be the ideal
regional carrier and can work well with long-haul
carriers. These aircraft are equipped with a 141 inch-wide
cargo door and all other systems required for cargo
duties. The A380-800F, on the other hand, can carry
150 ton payload, accommodating 71 large cargo pallets
or containers in its three decks.
"With a full cargo load, the A380-800F's
excellent range will enable it to fly non-stop routes
from Europe to Asia and the US West Coast and up to
distances of 5,620 nautical miles or 10,410 kilometers."
Philips said the company will continue to invest heavily
on the development of its aircraft - for both passenger
and freight. He said 10% of the company's total overhead
cost is directed towards research and development.
"We need to adopt innovative market
approach such as application of new technologies that
will help the airlines save costs for maintenance
of the aircraft," he noted.
FEFC
denies being source of THC cost components used in
PSB study
THE Far Eastern Freight Conference (FEFC)
denied issuing the terminal handling charge (THC)
cost component presented by the Philippine Shippers
Bureau (PSB) in a recent study.
A PSB source said an FEFC representative,
in a meeting with PSB officials in Manila last week,
claimed the cost components used by the PSB was not
released by the conference, but was in fact from the
Hong Kong Shippers Council (HKSC).
When asked to present its own computation
of THC cost components, the FEFC representative however
failed to put forward the actual component, the source
noted. To date, he said discussions with liner conferences
have yet to establish the proper definition of the
THC.
The PSB, on the other hand, firmly stands
by its position for the abolition of the charge, he
stressed. Under the PSB study, the THC components
of various liner conferences such as the Intra-Asia
Discussion Agreement (IADA), the Transpacific Stabilization
Agreement (TSA) and the FEFC, were categorized into
cargo-based related cost, ship-based related cost
and cost for special/reefer services.
The FEFC, which covers the trade between
Europe and Asia, charges the THC on shippers based
on 25 cost components. Among the cargo-based related
costs are wharfage charges, storage of full container,
reporting of chassis, handling of container out off/into
stack, inspection and reporting of seals and wiring
and delivery of empty container and receiving full
container at the terminal.
FEFC ship-based related costs, meanwhile,
include the movement of container from ship's side
to ship's rail; movement of container from ship's
rail into ship's cell; opening and closing of hatch
covers; lashing of container, physical and clerical
container terminal planning; and extra working costs.
Cost services for temperature containers
include pre-trip container inspection, electric power
supply liquid nitrogen, monitoring of temperatures,
administration, temperature controlled container costs,
use of special spreaders and additional physical and
administrative costs associated with handling of dangerous
goods at the terminal.
THE Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) is
in the process of creating the panel that will represent
the country in air talks with Nepal next month.
CAB Economic Planning and Research chief
Porvenir P. Porciuncula said the initial meeting aims
to establish air relationships between the two countries.
"This is the first time a country initiated a request
for talks with the Philippines," he noted.
The Philippine air panel, he said, will
comprise representatives from various government agencies
like CAB, Department of Transportation and Communications,
Department of Foreign Affairs, and some representatives
from the tourism private sector and various airline
companies.
