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The Alliance of Container Yard Operators of the Philippines (ACYOP) will start full implementation of its online booking system on September 8
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The online booking system was conceived to solve the truck queuing problem inside off-dock container yards
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Truckers need to register first to book a slot in the system
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Booking fee is P150 per container
The Alliance of Container Yard Operators of the Philippines (ACYOP) will start full implementation of its online booking system on September 8.
Full implementation was initially set for September 1 after the close of the trial period but was moved following requests to have the booking fee paid online and to have QR codes incorporated into the document for presentation at the container yard, ACYOP president Roger Torres told PortCalls in an email.
Four container yards so far participate in the system: Brightpoint Logistics Corp., Inland Corp., Sea Container Depot Corp., and TBS Container Yard OPC.
All are located in Metro Manila, along the busy streets of Road 10 and Northbay Boulevard, Torres noted. A total of 1,500 truckers with truck fleets have already registered with the online booking system.
Torres said the ACYOP online booking system was conceived sometime in the last quarter of 2020 mainly to solve the truck queuing problem inside off-dock CY.
The system aims to improve turnaround of trucks returning and withdrawing empty containers; prevent traffic buildup along routes or roads where container yards are located; improve yard service efficiency through systematic and orderly queuing of trucks and less paperwork; and increase truck delivery utilization since trucks will no longer queue at the container yards and only arrive at the appointed time.
In March 2021, a trial run of the system participated in by selected truckers and container yard operators was launched to determine any glitches.
To book a slot, the trucker must first register at ACYOP’S website at http://www.cdap.ph.
“You just fill up the pertinent information requested and after verification by ACYOP’s booking administrator of the validity of the trucker’s registration, the registration will be confirmed. After registration and confirmation by ACYOP, the trucker could now book by using their registered username and password. The authorized trucking representative normally makes the booking for a slot at the designated CY for returns or withdrawal of containers,” Torres explained.
The booking fee of P150 per container must be paid online. The trucker also pays for the service fee charged by the online payment service provider.
Truckers arriving at the container yard outside of their slot window will forfeit their booking fee and slot, and will have to rebook and pay a new fee again.
A trucker found to have maliciously booked to block other truckers from booking or to disrupt the booking system will face penalties including a warning, forfeiture of booking fee and slot, high penalties, and a ban on transacting business in the yards.
Asked if ACYOP’s online booking system may be integrated with the Terminal Appointment Booking System of the Manila international terminal operators and the Association of International Shipping Lines’ GoFast system, Torres said while they are prepared for the possibility, some adjustments to all three systems may have to be made first before integration.
Torres said they hope all off-dock container yard operators would become members of ACYOP and take advantage of the online booking system.
“We have inquiries regarding membership. At this point, we cannot project the number of container yards that will be using our booking system. Unless ACYOP could secure the help of a government agency to encourage off-dock container yard operators to adopt our booking system as a tool to reduce trucks plying the streets and improve traffic condition, then it would take time to convince yard operators to become our member,” Torres admitted.
He bared a plan to submit a proposal to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to adopt ACYOP’s online booking system in all Metro Manila container yards.
“However, we first need to… study effects of our booking system… to substantiate our belief that requiring trucks to move out from their garage only at a certain time to deliver or withdraw containers improves the traffic situation on truck routes going to ACYOP container yards,” Torres explained.
Meanwhile, Torres said the utilization of ACYOP members’ container yards has improved only slightly.
“We still suffer from effects of the closure or partial operations of important ports in the region due to the pandemic,” he noted.
READ: Port congestions slow down container turnaround, keeps yard utilization low
Some ports in China recently shut down or slowed operations due to workers contracting COVID-19. – Roumina Pablo
