Cargo
Throughput (in million m.t.) 34.48FIRST QUARTER 2005
PORT STATISTICAL REVIEW
Economic bulletin released by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) affirmed that the first quarter of 2005 manifested a declining growth in the Philippine setting resulting from higher oil and consumer prices, lower exports and reduced imports. Added to this, the dual lessening output from farm and mining sectors led to the countrys Domestic Product (GDP) to decelerate to 4.6 percent, from 6.4 percent in 2004.
Services and Industry steadily posted seasonal increases for the economy. Services expanded by 6.9 percent from the previous years 6.6 percent while Industry put up with a 4.2 percent compared to 4.7 percent for the same period last year. The economic setback, however, was computed from the performance shortage of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry at a 0.1 percent record versus last years 8.6 percent.
At a glimpse, Services which cover about 48 percent of the total GDP gave the biggest contribution to GDP growth with 3.23 percentage points. The sectors growth was realized by Trade, Transportation, Communication and Storage (TCS), and Ownership of Dwellings and Finance. While all other sectors fairly contributed to the economic acceleration, there were also some that suffered negative growth, others at a considerable, but mostly at a vigorous rate, thus, a negative result to the total economic figures.
For the port community scenario, January to March 2005 period showed a decline of activity in all port traffic indicators, except container traffic, compared to a more robust outcome of transactions during the previous years of 2004 and 2003. Major port activities/movements manifested a reduction as the demand of commodities, such as, rice, sugar, fruits and vegetables, flour, animal feeds, copra, and other general cargoes all contributed to the slowdown. Moreover, the continuing recovery on construction failed to hold its luster as the import and export activities for cement, iron and steel, other construction products, were unable to post any additional increase, and the volume for animal feeds, wheat or flour, refined petroleum products, crude petroleum, crude minerals, chemicals, metalliferous ores and scrap, coco oil and copra were posted at a much lesser tonnages as compared to their significant totals from a year ago level.
(Nationwide Ports)
Cargo
Throughput (in million m.t.) 34.48
Domestic 18.15
Foreign 16.33
Import 11.18
Export . 5.15
Container
Traffic (in TEU) 825,331
Domestic .382,258
Foreign 443,073
Import ..223,361
Export ..219,712
Ship
Traffic (number of shipcalls) 72,893
Domestic .70,646
Foreign 2,247
Passenger
Traffic (in millions) 11.21
Disembarked ..5.69
Embarked 5.52
CARGO THROUGHPUT
For January to March 2005, cargo throughput handled in the ports reached 34.48 million metric tons. This figure posted a three percent shortage from last years total of 35.42 million metric tons. Foreign trade, which was forty seven percent of the total throughput amassed 16.33 million metric tons reflecting a minimal 2.0 percent downstreak from 16.60 million metric tons figure for the same period last year. Domestic trade, on the other hand, representing fifty three percent of the total tonnage was 18.15 million metric tons, marking a 4.0 percent slowdown from a year on year level of 18.82 million metric tons.
Among the five (5) Port District Offices (PDOs) located nationwide, Manila/Northern Luzon ports posted the highest cargo tonnage at 14.50 million metric tons or a sound forty two percent of the total throughput. A total of 6.13 million metric tons, or an equivalent eighteen percent was traded at PDO Southern Luzon. For PDO Northern Mindanao, a seventeen percent or 6.02 million metric tons of cargoes were shipped in and out of the ports under its jurisdiction. The remaining two (2) port district offices of Visayas and Southern Mindanao successively carried a total of 4.84 million metric tons and 2.99 million metric tons of the total throughput or fourteen percent and nine percent, respectively.
The six (6) leading carrying port management/field offices listed Batangas at the topmost for a 13 percent total haul. Following at second were Cagayan de Oro and Limay, both with an 11 percent load; while North Harbor and Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) placed third each having carried 10 percent of the total cargo volume. South Harbor was listed fourth which partook nine percent of the total cargo share. As compared to its year ago level, however, South Harbor, Puerto Princesa, Ozamis, Cagayan de Oro, Limay and Iloilo all generated a dip in the total cargo throughput from a high 23 percent to a minimum 5 percent.
Changing economic and business moves, to mention, transfer or start of operation and/or manufacturing centers, closure or stoppage of operations in some entities, either promoted or reduced trade pattern in the ports. The positive trend, vis-a-vis last year was posted at a high 112% and a low 6.43 % in the private ports of North Harbor, General Santos, Calapan Tagbilaran, Surigao, Davao and Iloilo, respectively. In the same manner, shipments coming from the government ports of Legazpi, Davao, Zamboanga, Calapan and San Fernando showed notable rates of 6% up to 1,517%.
In the opposite, the government ports that suffered a decline were Limay, South Harbor, Pulupandan, Tagbilaran and Iloilo registering a drop from a high 36% to a significant 7%. A parallel downslide was observed in the private piers of Iligan, Zamboanga, Limay, Cagayan de Oro, Legazpi, Nasipit, South Harbor, San Fernando and Ozamis from 6% to 83%.
By port classification, private ports maneuvered 18.91 million metric tons, representing fifty five percent of the total cargo. The remaining forty five percent, translated into a 15.57 million metric tons was handled in the government piers.
CONTAINER TRAFFIC
The total number of Twenty Equivalent Units (TEUs), empty and loaded, handled all over the container ports across the country covered 825,331 boxes for the quarter end in review. The minimal one percent gain over a year ago level of 813,538 was the positive result mostly from the export level during the period. Domestic packed goods posted a lower trend at a negligible half percent, while foreign containerized items fairly increased by three percent.
As in the previous years tally, PDO Manila/Northern Luzon container yards took the lion share of the container count at 590,787 TEUs. Southern Mindanao followed with a total of 98,995 TEUs; Northern Mindanao was third at 74,896 TEUs. Container areas in PDO Visayas hauled 54,834 TEUs while those in Southern Luzon captured 5,819 TEUs.
By a single port entry, Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), capped 279,225 TEUs, representing thirty four percent of the total TEU count. Towing sixty three percent of foreign container traffic, MICT was also tabbed as the prime foreign container carrying port. In the same manner, North Harbor hauled essential share of domestic container volume at a total of 129, 094 TEUs or an equivalent sixteen percent of the overall container traffic.
Shipping traffic
The recorded 72,893 shipping traffic registered a negligible half percent loss compared to its previous years level of 73,269 vessel calls at the end of the quarter. The decline was computed in both the domestic and the foreign vessel calls in ports nationwide.
In terms of port jurisdiction, PDO Visayas led the vessel entries at thirty four percent of the national calls. Joining at second was PDO Southern Luzon with a share of twenty four percent, and trailed by PDO Northern Mindanao for seventeen percent. PDOs Southern Mindanao and Manila/Northern Luzon each serviced sixteen percent and nine percent share of the total vessels.
The Port Management Offices (PMOS) of Davao, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Surigao and Dumaguete all registered an encouraging growth rates ranging from 10 percent up to 23 percent vis-a-vis a year ago figures. By vessel classification, the uptrend in domestic calls can be traced at the ports of Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Surigao, General Santos, and Dumaguete. In the same manner, the reflected uptick in foreign calls were listed in the ports of North Harbor, Legazpi, Dumaguete, Surigao, Zamboanga, Iloilo, Davao, and General Santos.
Relative to port classification, government ports serviced 74 percent of the January to March shipping traffic. Private ports handled the remaining 26 percent.
A majority 95 percent domestic ships was handled in the government and the rest was catered in the private ports. Likewise, a 98:02 proportion of foreign ships were listed in the government and private ports, respectively.
PASSENGER TRAFFIC
January to March 2005 listed a total of 11.21 million passengers, classified into disembarking and embarking passengers who utilized seaborne passageways to their destinations along or within Philippine archipelago. This figure marked a four percent decrement from the 11.73 million total for the same period last year.
Total passenger count of 3.72 million or thirty three percent came from the ferry ports in PDO Visayas, thus, it was considered as the highest passenger carrying route, and congruent to the highest number of vessel entries. This was followed by PDO Northern Mindanao at 2.30 million passengers. At a close third was PDO Southern Luzon with 2.51 million passengers. PDO Southern Mindanao came fourth at a manifested 1.75 million sea commuters; PDO Manila/Northern Luzon listed 0.92 million total of passengers.
Representing eighty seven percent or a large majority of the passenger traffic for this quarter passed through government ports. The remaining thirteen percent was shared by the private ports. On a port-to-port level, there were nine (9) sites which handled significant passenger shares: South Harbor listed the topmost number of passengers, handling 0.42 million travellers. North Harbor came second; followed by Batangas, Zamboanga, Ozamis, Iloilo, Calapan, Tagbilaran and Cagayan de Oro.