Strong foreign trade freight: Philippine port cargo volume increased by 4.39% year-on-year in the second quarter
The latest data from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) shows that driven by the strong growth of foreign trade import and export goods, the national port cargo throughput in the second quarter of this year reached 86.88 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 4.39%. In the first half of the year, the cumulative throughput exceeded 154 million tons, and the container handling volume reached 4.3 million TEUs. Despite the challenges of the geopolitical situation, PPA still maintains its full-year growth forecast of over 320 million tons.
Preliminary statistical data recently released by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) show that, driven by a significant rebound in international foreign trade transportation, the cargo throughput of the Philippines' national ports achieved steady growth in the second quarter of this year, continuing the steady upward trend in the first half of the year.
Core operating data for the first, second quarter and first half of the year
Official data shows that in the second quarter of this year (April to June), the total cargo throughput of major ports in the Philippines reached 86.88 million metric tons (MMT), an increase of 4.39% from 83.23 million metric tons in the same period last year. Foreign trade cargo has become the main growth engine, with foreign trade cargo volume reaching 58.28 million metric tons in a single quarter; domestic cargo volume remained stable, reaching 28.6 million metric tons.
Judging from the overall performance in the first half of 2026, ports across the country completed a cumulative cargo throughput of 154.03 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.25%. Among them, the total volume of foreign trade goods reached 97.94 million metric tons, which was specifically broken down into 55.88 million metric tons of imported goods and 42.06 million metric tons of exported goods, showing the two-way activity of Philippine local manufacturing overseas and the import of domestic consumer goods and industrial raw materials.
In terms of container transportation, the national container throughput in the first half of the year reached 4.3 million standard units (TEU), an increase of 2.87% compared with the same period last year, reflecting the stable operation of the regional container trunk line and branch shipping network.
2. Comparison table of key operating indicators
| Statistical cycle/business segment | Core Freight Indicators | Comparison with the same period last year | Year-on-year change | core drivers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second quarter (Q2) | Cargo throughput 86.88 MMT | 83.23 MMT | +4.39% | Concentrated release of foreign trade import and export demand |
| Q2 Foreign trade goods | 58.28 MMT | - | Significant growth | Shipping capacity on Southeast Asian, European and American routes is stable |
| Q2 Domestic goods | 28.60 MMT | - | Smooth operation | Domestic demand support for inter-island logistics between islands |
| Accumulated in the first half of the year (H1) | Cargo throughput 154.03 MMT | 149.18 MMT | +3.25% | Bilateral trade picks up and infrastructure materials flow |
| H1 foreign trade import | 55.88 MMT | - | Steady recovery | Industrial products, energy and bulk material input |
| H1 foreign trade export | 42.06 MMT | - | Stable and improving | Driven by exports of agricultural products and electronic components |
| H1 container throughput | 4.3 million TEU | 4.18 million TEU | +2.87% | International liner berthing frequency increases |
3. Trade Pattern and Logistics Supply Chain Outlook
The growth in port cargo volume confirms the Philippines’ trade resilience under the framework of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in the post-epidemic era. Hub ports represented by the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), Cebu Port, Batangas Port and Davao Port have continued to advance in digital dispatching and berth turnover efficiency improvements, providing infrastructure guarantees for the efficient operation of foreign trade liners.
However, the international logistics supply chain still faces disturbances from the external macro environment. PPA officials pointed out that geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have brought potential fluctuations to global mainline ship deployment and bunker surcharges (BAF). PPA is currently in close communication with the government's Governance Committee of State-owned Companies (GCG) to dynamically assess annual throughput targets. According to PPA’s current forecast, the total cargo volume of Philippine ports is expected to reach 320.94 million metric tons in 2026, with a year-on-year growth of 4.03% expected.
For companies engaged in cross-border trade and logistics transportation between China and the Philippines, paying close attention to port container turnover time, adjustments to container pick-up and return yard rules, and surcharge trends will be the key to optimizing booking and supply chain cost control in the second half of the year.