Nippon is RP's top airfreight
forwarder for 2006 - CAB
PHILIPPINE import and export airfreight shipments
rose 7.4% to 228.23 million kilograms (kg) last year (see
table) from 212.46 million kg in 2005, based on data obtained
by PortCalls from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).
The rise was fueled by increases in breakbulk and consolidated
shipments, up 21% and 32%, respectively.
Breakbulk shipments reached 78.94 million kg in 2006 from
65.06 million kg in 2005 while consolidated shipments were
at 140.35 million kg from 105.96 million kg in 2005.
The business related to direct shipments, however, was not
as vibrant. Direct shipments registered a slight growth of
0.5% from 32.24 million kg in 2005 to 32.41 million kg in
2006.
Nippon Express Philippines Corp emerged as the country’s
top airfreight forwarder in 2006, a position it has held for
two years running. Last year, it handled 31.99 million kg
accounting for 14.38% of the entire Philippine airfreight
forwarding market. It is interesting to note that in 2004,
the company was not even in the listing of the top 25 international
airfreight forwarders operating in the Philippines.
Airlift Asia, Inc. regained the second spot after dropping
a notch to third place in 2004, handling 13.52 million kg
last year giving it a 6% market share.
Yusen Air & Sea Services, Phils was in third place with
a total of 12.21 million kg or 5.46% of the market.
Landing in fourth spot is Fritz Logistics, up five notches
from its ninth place in 2005. Last year it handled 10.98 million
kg for a 5.39% market share.
Panalpina Transport World dropped to fifth place from fourth
in 2005, carrying 10.92 million kg in 2006. This has given
the Switzerland-based company a market share of 4.91%.
Completing the top 10 list of international airfreight forwarders
for 2006 are Exel Logistics Management Phils. Inc. (4.37%
market share); DHL Danzas Air & Ocean (Phils), Inc. (4.26%);
Bax Global Phils. (3.81%); Expeditors Phils. Inc. (3.53%);
and Transglobal Consolidators, Inc. (3.12%).
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Customs
Board to issue stern warning vs corporate brokers
THE Professional Regulatory Board for Customs
Brokers (PRBCB) is set to issue what it says is a final and
stern warning to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to cuff the agency
from allowing corporations to clear cargo shipments.
PRBCB chair Constantino Calica told PortCalls the board is
now finalizing the letter that will be sent to members of
the Chamber of Customs Brokers Inc in a general membership
meeting by end of the week.
Calica explained the letter will remind the BOC on the consequences
of allowing corporations to sign import entries. Brokers will
also be reminded of their obligation to stay independent,
that is not to be employed by corporations.
ÒThis letter will serve as our last and final warning
to both the BOC and brokers. Any actions not parallel to the
letter will be dealt with accordingly based on existing rules,Ó
Calica said.
ÒThe brokers will choose whether to follow the BOC
or the PRBCB. If they chose to follow BOC regulations on the
profession, they will be facing the full penal provision of
RA 9280 as the new CAO issued contravenes the law,Ó
Calica said.
ÒWe will again reiterate our earlier warning that brokers
found violating the law will be subject to the full extent
of the law including cancellation of license, fines and imprisonment,Ó
Calica stressed.
He said there are several customs brokers and corporations
that will face the PRBCB in the next few weeks. They will
join Airlift Asia Customs Brokerage, Inc., whose officials
are being summoned by the board to explain its actions that
are supposedly in violation of RA 9280.
Based on the law, violators will be fined up to P500,000,
imprisoned up to 12 years and his/her license cancelled.
Calica reiterated brokers should maintain their independence
particularly in lodging and signing of shipments as being
employed as a corporate customs broker will influence his
impartiality.
Customs Administrative Order (CAO) 3-2006-A, which operationalizes
Republic Act 9280 (Customs Brokers Act of 2004) at the BOC,
authorized customs brokerage houses, corporations and freight
forwarding firms to lodge customs entries and/or use their
employee-customs representatives to transact business at the
BOC.
However, under PRBCB circulars, customs brokerage and freight
forwarding corporations are only allowed to engage, but not
employ, the professional services of a customs broker in the
customs clearance of their imported/exported goods. The broker,
it added, is not prohibited from being employed by a forwarding
firm as a consultant, manager or in any administrative position.
RA 9280 enacted on March 30, 2004 regulates the practice of
the customs broker profession. It prohibits corporate practice
of customs brokerage. Section 29 of the law provides that
the customs broker practice is a professional service and
as such, “no firm, company, or association may be registered
or licensed as such for the practice of customs broker profession”.
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ATI
sees 18% hike in 2006 income
THE strong Philippine peso dampened growth
of Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) last year. Still, the port
operator reported an 18% improvement in net income to P782.6
million in 2006 from P663.6 million in 2005 as a result of
higher cargo volumes at the Manila South Harbor.
ÒWith the strengthening of the Philippine peso versus
the US dollar, improvement in results of net income was tempered
by higher foreign exchange loss in 2006 of P56.6 million against
P19.9 million in 2005 and by its impact on certain revenue
rates,Ó ATI said in its annual report.
South Harbor operations saw mixed results, with international
container volume higher by 14.3% and non-containerized operations
down 44.6%. Total cargo volume rose 11%.
Revenues from South Harbor domestic terminal operations decreased
8%, even with an increase in tariff rates, as cargo volumes
dropped 12.5% and passenger volume also dipped 15% due to
a reduction in SuperFerry’s fleets and aggressive promotion
from airlines.
Total revenues for 2006 grew to P4.18 billion from P4.08 billion
in 2005, a third of which came from stevedoring services another
35% from arrastre services.
Investments in port facilities and equipment in 2006 were
at P283.6 million, mostly in addition to property and equipment
at the South Harbor based on its revised master plan.
The company operates and manages South Harbor in Manila, a
logistics business in Calamba, Laguna; and a bulk grain terminal
in Mariveles, Bataan. Its subsidiaries also have port operations
in Batangas, and in South Cotabato.
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BOC
short of Q1 collection target
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) was P6-billion
short of its target collection for the first quarter of the
year due to lower volume of petroleum imports.
An initial report showed the BOC collected about P40 billion
against the P46-billion goal for the January-to-March period.
Customs commissioner Napoleon Morales said the decrease was
due to the 40% decline in volume of oil imports as well as
Shell’s traditional first-quarter clean up at its oil
depot in Batangas. Shell uses up old stocks in the first quarter
before it starts to import again.
Morales is still confident of meeting the bureau’s collection
target for the year despite his port collectors’ refusal
to sign the manifesto on the lateral attrition law. The law
will be used to reward or punish port collectors depending
on their performance.
So far, only the Port of Legaspi, with an assigned collection
target of P23 million, has signed the manifesto.
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Advance
cargo info being asked from wrong source — forwarders
PHILIPPINE freight forwarders are asking
the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to require advance cargo information
from exporting instead of from importing countries, as prescribed
under Customs Administrative Order 1-2007.
In a symposium on the advance inward foreign manifest organized
by the Philippine International Seafreight Forwarders Association
(PISFA) and PortCalls last week, PISFA president Rico Brizuela
asked the BOC: ÒWhy burden Philippine firms when you
can ask the exporting countries to do it for us just like
what the US and Japan required us to do for them?Ó
He stressed, ÒGovernment should consider, through the
BOC, requiring the advance submission of the inward foreign
manifest to exporting countries just like what it did in the
1980s when it required importers pre-inspection of Philippine-bound
cargoes.Ó
PISFA wants to sit down with BOC officials to discuss the
possibility of implementing the same system as practiced in
the US and in Japan. The US requires exporting countries advance
information on all inbound cargoes 24 hours prior to vessel
loading while Japan requires exporting countries advance information
24 hours before cargo arrival at any Japanese port.
Under CAO 1-2007, the BOC is requiring shipping lines, non-vessel
operating common carriers, cargo consolidators, co-loaders
and breakbulk agents to provide the BOC accurate data and
information of vessels and cargoes that will arrive in any
port nationwide 12 hours prior to arrival through electronic
transfer coursed either straight to the BOC or any of its
accredited value-added service providers.
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DBP
to open credit window for truckers
THE Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)
will open this month a credit window for truckers carrying
goods for and from logistics firm 2GO.
Last year, DBP also provided funds to state-owned Postal Bank
for a credit window for truckers’ refleeting. The funds
are part of a loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation
to develop the domestic shipping industry. However, only a
few truckers availed of the funds, as most lacked documentary
requirements for securing a loan.
According to the agreement, DBP will provide up to P1 million
in non-collateralized loans for the first 50 brand new trucks
under an extendible three-year operate-to-own basis. Priority
will be given to truckers and not operators.
ÒThe contract that the truckers have with us will be
the guarantee for the bank,Ó 2GO president and chief
executive Sabin Aboitiz said.
2GO, the logistics arm of the Aboitiz Transport Group, will
automatically deduct the truckers’ loan payment from
collectibles. 2GO will remit payment directly to the DBP.
Aboitiz said the trucks will be needed in roll on-roll off
operations, the main driver of 2GO’s business in the
next five years. 2GO is banking on its ro-ro business to achieve
a two-fold growth in 2007 and possibly double that in the
next five years.
Recently, the company acquired a dedicated freighter, the
$6-million 400-TEU 2GO 1, from India. Another freighter of
the same size is for delivery by year’s end.
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Dumaguete
port up for extension, privatization
THE Philippine Ports Authority is bidding
out phase II of the Dumaguete Port extension project and privatizing
cargo handing services at the terminal.
According to bid documents, PPA is spending P395.7 million
for the project, which will improve the cargo handling capabilities
of the port both for domestic and international operations.
Construction activities include reclamation, excavation and
disposal, setting up of mooring and fendering system, drainage
and fencing, and installation of a port lighting system.
ÒTo maximize benefits to the government, the PPA has
decided to remove the ceiling of the percentage government
share as provided in Item No. 16.7 of the Instruction to Bidders,Ó
the document showed. The prescribed ceiling for the average
government share for the 10-year period is normally 22%.
The port handles about 1 million passengers every year. Cargo
volume at the port has been in decline over the past years.
From 570,102 metric tons in 2003, the volume dropped to 567,144
metric tons in 2004, then to 531,447 metric tons in 2005.
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Inspection
team to assess Subic facility
THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA)
is getting ready for the pullout of Federal Express (FedEx)
next year and is set to bid out the facility later this year.
SBMA has formed an inspection team composed of representatives
from FedEx, the SBMA Engineering Department, and SBMA Property
and Procurement Department to help overlook pullout preparations.
ÒThe team is tasked to evaluate and assess the buildings
and other facilities occupied by FedEx. They will make sure
it is in the best condition before the re-bidding due this
year,Ó SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said.
The formation of the inspection team was deemed necessary
to identify which buildings and facilities under the lease
contract of FedEx needed repairs or replacement by the firm
and/or the SBMA before the re-bidding.
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