The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has issued detailed regulations involving the transfer of overstaying import shipments from Manila South Harbor (MSH) and Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) to designated ports outside Manila.
Effective April 5, the guidelines are spelled out in PPA Administrative Order (AO) 02-2019 and are meant to promote optimal terminal efficiency and address high import dwell time in a bid to manage “increased trade and demand for cargo clearance facilitation at MICT and MSH.”
AO 02-2019 was issued after PPA, the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Association of International Shipping Lines (AISL), and terminal operators Asian Terminals Inc. and International Container Terminal Services, Inc. signed a manifesto on March 15 that compels the transfer of overstaying Customs-cleared containers at MSH and MICT to container depots.
AO 02-2019 also follow a PPA notice to the public published on March 1 that directs all importers, consignees, cargo owners, and shippers to withdraw within 15 daysor until March 15–from MICT and MSH their BOC-cleared containers to free up space in these ports.
MICT and MSH have recorded high yard utilization in the last few months due to a number of factors, including overstaying of import cargoes. According to the March 15 manifesto, the imbalance of inbound and outgoing containers “has led to the exploitation of Philippine ports, such that various industry sectors use the space thereof for the storage of their containers.”
In a phone interview with PortCalls, Transportation Undersecretary for Maritime OIC Fernando Juan Perez encouraged importers and cargo owners to immediately release their cleared containers so as not to incur additional costs in the transfer to designated depots. He pointed out storage charges in inland container depots are actually the same as those in Manila ports and thus not cheaper.
Coverage of AO 02-2019
AO 02-2019 applies to all imported goods, whether containerized or not, which remain within the premises of MSH, MICT, and their designated ports beyond the PPA-prescribed free storage period (FSP) or approved extended FSP, and which have been cleared by the port authority and other government agencies, such as BOC, for delivery and/or withdrawal by the importers or their authorized representatives.
(For the full article, please visit https://www.portcalls.com/ppa-sets-rules-transfer-overstaying-cargoes-manila-ports/ )