In the first half of 2026, Philippine port container throughput reached 4.3 million TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 2.8%
The latest data from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) shows that the container throughput of national ports reached 4.3 million TEU in the first half of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 2.8%. Among them, foreign trade containers increased by 2.1% to 2.803 million TEU, with steady import demand; domestic trade containers increased by 4.2% to 1.497 million TEU. Total cargo throughput reached 154 million metric tons, demonstrating the continued activity of the archipelago’s supply chain and cross-border trade.
1. Overall throughput will grow steadily in the first half of 2026
According to official statistics released by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), in the first half of 2026 (January to June), the total container throughput handled by ports under the jurisdiction of the Philippines 4.3 million standard containers (TEU) , an increase from 4.182 million TEU in the same period in 2025 2.8% . Driven by the recovery of consumer demand, increased procurement of industrial raw materials and accelerated inter-island trade flows, both internal and external freight volumes have maintained an expansion trend.
Excluding containers, the total cargo throughput of PPA-administered ports in the first half of 2026 increased year-on-year. 3.2% ,achieve 154.033 million metric tons ;The volume of roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vehicles reached 6.876 million vehicles , year-on-year growth 4.9% . The total number of ship calls decreased slightly by 3.2% to 331,005, reflecting the increase in single-vessel loading rates and trunk route concentration.
2. Analysis of data structure of foreign trade and domestic trade containers
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Foreign trade containers (accounting for 65.2%) :
- In the first half of 2026, foreign trade container throughput will reach 2.803 million TEU , year-on-year growth 2.1% (2.746 million TEU in the same period last year).
- Imported box volume :achieve 1.428 million TEU , year-on-year growth 3.6% (1.379 million TEU in the same period last year), mainly driven by construction and building materials, industrial machinery and equipment, durable consumer goods and retail supplies.
- Export box volume : recorded 1.375 million TEU , a slight increase from 1.367 million TEU in the same period last year 0.6% , showing the steady recovery of exports of high value-added electronic components and agricultural products.
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Domestic trade containers (accounting for 34.8%) :
- Domestic trade container throughput grew more impressively, rising year-on-year 4.2% to 1.497 million TEU (1.436 million TEU in the same period last year), confirming the strong domestic demand for FMCG distribution and locally manufactured materials among the islands in the Philippines.
3. Throughput performance of various regions and core hub ports across the country
Luzon remains the absolute core of the Philippines’ import and export trade, while major ports in Visayas and Mindanao also show strong growth momentum.
| Regional/core hub port | Throughput (TEU) in the first half of 2026 | National share (%) | Year-on-year growth (%) | Hub functions and business characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ports in Luzon Island (Luzon) | 3,281,000 | 76.3% | +2.4% | The core outlet of the Capital Region and Northern Industrial Corridor |
| ↳ Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) | 1,550,000 | 36.0% | +0.8% | The country’s largest ocean foreign trade container distribution hub |
| ↳ Manila South Harbor | 742,514 | 17.3% | +3.1% | Asian regional trunk and branch lines and multi-purpose foreign trade hub |
| ↳ Manila North Harbor | 685,339 | 15.9% | +1.9% | The country’s largest domestic archipelago trade hub |
| ↳ Batangas Port | 166,045 | 3.9% | +3.7% | South Luzon Manufacturing and Automobile Distribution Port |
| Mindanao Port | 778,700 | 18.1% | +3.0% | Agricultural and sideline products, mineral exports and southern industrial materials |
| ↳ Davao Port Area (including DICT) | 407,083 | 9.5% | +5.5% | The largest container hub in the south, gathering cold chain containers |
| ↳ Cagayan de Oro Port (CDO) | 152,931 | 3.6% | +7.0% | Northern Mindanao Heavy Industries and Regional Materials Transfer Center |
| Visayas Ports | 240,634 | 5.6% | +8.6% | A tourism and trade hub in central China with the fastest growth rate in the region |
4. Industry Analysis and Supply Chain Outlook
Jay Daniel Santiago, general manager of the Philippine Ports Authority, said that given the current strong macroeconomic operating indicators and the advancement of infrastructure investment, PPA remains "very bullish" about the continued growth of cargo volume and container size throughout 2026.
With the increase in the size of international trunk line ships and the increase in throughput pressure in Manila's core port area, the freight diversion effect between Batangas Port and Subic Port is further emerging. For China-Philippines cross-border trade and international logistics practitioners, rational use of direct express lines, optimizing customs clearance time at destination ports, and rational selection of hub distribution ports for different islands will be key strategies to avoid Manila’s traditional peak season congestion and control the comprehensive cost of the end-to-end supply chain.