Container statistics are supporting anecdotal reports that the Manila truck ban implemented on February 24 constrained the movement of boxes trucked in and out of the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and South Harbor, Manila’s key international gateways, in the process causing a container pileup.
Data obtained by PortCalls from a government agency shows that a month or two after the Manila truck ban policy was implemented, the total daily number of containers withdrawn/delivered based on truck movements at the MICP reached 4,727 twenty-equivalent units (TEU) in March, dipping to 4,217 TEUs in April then to 3,829 TEUs from May 1-12, 2014.
(There was a short respite from the truck ban on May 13-18, when the policy was lifted by both the Manila city government and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to give way to preparations for the World Economic Forum on East Asia held in Manila from May 21-23.)
The figures compare with the 2013 MICP daily average of 4,995 TEUs.
Beginning on March 13, the MICP daily average of containers withdrawn/delivered reached 3,364 TEUs then, as expected with the temporary lifting of the ban, recovered in the next few days to 5,333 TEUs, 5,272 TEUs, 5,699 TEUs, 5,358 TEUs and 4,192 TEUs from March 14 to 18, respectively.
Meanwhile, MICP container throughput after the truck ban was implemented was recorded at 5,284 TEUs in March, dipping to 4,876 in April then to 4,263 from May 1-21.
This is in contrast to the total daily average throughput for 2013 of 5,191 TEUs.
Pre-truck ban, the average daily container throughput at MICT in January was 5,220 TEUs and 4,955 TEUs in February.
At the South Harbor, the daily average container withdrawn/delivered was recorded at 1,652 TEUs, 1,627 TEUs and 1,609 TEUs in March, April and May 1-12, respectively.
Before the truck ban, the daily average in January was 1,831 TEUs and in February, 1,469 TEUs.
The figures compare with the 2013 average of 1,581 TEUs.
During the lifting of the ban, the number of containers withdrawn/delivered at South Harbor inched up to 1,848 TEUs, 1,973 TEUs, 2,057 TEUs, 2,071 TEUs, and 1,692 TEUs from May 13 to 17, respectively, before dipping to 471 TEUs on May 18.
While the truck ban was in effect, South Harbor handled a daily average container throughput of 1,714 TEUs for March, 1,682 TEUs for April and 1,839 TEUs from May 1-12.
With the temporary lifting of the truck ban, from May 13 to May 18, the daily container average at South Harbor ranged from 1,277 TEUs to 1,837 TEUs.
In comparison, the 2013 daily average throughput was 1,715 TEUs. — Roumina Pablo
Image courtesy of franky242 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
