Multiple departments in the Philippines have joined forces to promote port dredging and freight reform to comprehensively relieve the pressure on Manila's shipping stagnation at the port.
The Philippine Department of Transportation, the Port Authority (PPA), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently jointly issued new regulations on the mandatory decontamination of containers and the return of empty containers, in line with the long-term logistics reform plan proposed by the Exporters Federation (PHILEXPORT), focusing on controlling congestion at the Manila Port and accelerating the modernization and upgrading of regional sea and air transportation hubs to cope with the high growth of cross-border trade and e-commerce freight.
1. Policy background and emergency measures to clear Hong Kong
Entering the fourth quarter of 2026, with the surge in economic and trade exchanges and cross-border e-commerce cargo volume in the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines' main shipping hubs - Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) and South Harbor (South Harbor) are facing continued container turnover pressure. To this end, the Philippine Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) jointly launched a special emergency port clearance and transportation operation.
According to the latest regulatory directives, the port authorities focus on the forced removal and centralized auction/disposal of heavy import containers that have been detained in the port for longer than the prescribed period, and severely crack down on the use of port areas as cheap storage. At the same time, in response to the pain point of "difficulty returning empty containers" that has plagued freight forwarders and trailer fleets for a long time, regulatory agencies require major international liner companies to deploy overtime ships to move out empty containers within the specified time limit, and to optimize the receiving efficiency of inland container depots (ICDs) to break up the logistics obstruction from Metro Manila to the peripheral industrial corridors.
2. Comparison of key operating indicators and reform measures
The Philippine Exporters Federation (PHILEXPORT) expressed its full support for this and called on the government to speed up the establishment of a long-term mechanism. The following table summarizes the core focus and expected indicators of this round of freight reform in the Philippines:
| key dimensions | Operation pain points before reform | Implementation of new regulations and reform goals | Expected results/key indicators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Containers delayed at port | There is a long-term backlog of imported heavy containers, occupying the physical storage capacity of the yard. | Forced to move away from the main terminal to a bonded off-site storage yard and undergo customs clearance within a time limit | Terminal storage utilization dropped below 70%, a healthy range |
| Empty box return mechanism | The yard was so full that fleets queued up to return boxes for several days. | Forcing shipping companies to charter ships to transport empty containers and add designated return points | The trailer turnover time is increased by 35%, reducing disputes over detention fees |
| Customs clearance and transfer | Paper documents and multiple inspections lead to longer customs clearance cycles | Comprehensively implement paperless pre-declaration and automated risk triage | Regular general cargo is released within 24-48 hours after arrival at the port. |
| Sea and air hub linkage | Cargo flows are highly concentrated in the core port area of Manila | Activate Batangas and Subic diversion and expand Clark Air Transport Hub | Improve multimodal transport diversion capabilities, and the compound annual growth rate of air cargo reached 8.1% |
3. New Pattern of Air Cargo and Multimodal Transport
In addition to shipping congestion, the Philippines' overall freight supply chain is accelerating its evolution towards modernization and diversification. In the air cargo sector, the regional air logistics hub with Clark International Airport (Clark Hub) as the core has completed a new round of facility expansion, attracting a number of multinational express delivery and freight giants to settle in, greatly improving the rapid transportation capabilities of high value-added electronic products, cold chain medicine and cross-border e-commerce parcels. Industry forecasts show that thanks to the construction of a multimodal transport system, the Philippines' overall logistics market is expected to double in size in the next few years.
4. Suggestions for freight forwarders and cross-border foreign trade companies
Faced with intensive adjustments to Philippine customs and port policies, foreign trade shippers and international logistics service providers need to focus on the following operational details:
- Strictly control the container-free period and delivery time at the destination port : Synchronize the bill of lading and customs clearance information to the consignee in a timely manner to avoid forced customs clearance due to overdue storage.
- Reasonable selection of diversion ports : For non-urgent cargo destined for southern or north-central Luzon, the feasibility of direct shipment to Batangas or Subic ports can be evaluated to avoid traffic control at the main port of Manila.
- Strengthen document consistency review : Make sure the product name and HS code on the packing list, invoice and certificate of origin (such as FORM E) are accurate to fully enjoy the convenience of fast customs clearance.
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