PPA releases latest data for 2026: Philippine container throughput is rising steadily, and maritime trade continues to expand
The latest operating data released by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) shows that the freight and container throughput of ports across the country continues to grow steadily. In the first half of the year, cargo handling volume exceeded 154 million metric tons and containers exceeded 4.3 million TEU. The export of bulk minerals to the sea and the prosperity of Ro-Ro logistics in the inner islands have become the core engines, and the efficiency of port digitization and customs clearance dispatching has been significantly improved.
1. Macro freight growth and core indicator performance
According to the latest official statistics released by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), the maritime logistics and foreign trade of the Philippine Islands will show strong resilience and expansion momentum in 2026. Driven by the deepening of regional economic cooperation and the continued recovery of domestic consumption, the total freight throughput and container handling volume of major port groups across the country have increased steadily.
Data shows that the Philippine port system completed a cumulative cargo throughput in the first half of this year 154.03 million metric tons (MMT) , an increase from 149.42 million metric tons in the same period last year 3.08% . At the same time, the total container throughput of foreign trade and domestic trade reached 4.3 million TEU , year-on-year growth 2.65% (4.19 million TEU in the same period last year). In addition, the Ro-Ro traffic connecting various islands performed particularly well, with a quarterly increase of 8.81% , the total traffic volume exceeded 3.21 million vehicles, highlighting the efficient operation of the multimodal transport network among the Philippine Islands.
📊 Key operational data comparison table
| Operational statistics indicators (Metric) | 2025 same period baseline | Latest statistics for 2026 | Year-on-year growth (%) | Main driving areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong cargo throughput | 149.42 million metric tons (MMT) | 154.03 million metric tons (MMT) | +3.08% | Industrial raw materials, energy and bulk minerals |
| Total container handling volume | 4.19 million TEU | 4.30 million TEU | +2.65% | Cross-border e-commerce, import and export of consumer goods and agricultural products |
| Ro-Ro roll-off traffic | 2.9512 million vehicles | 3.2113 million vehicles | +8.81% | Cross-island trade logistics and agricultural and sideline products transfer |
| Major port revenue | 15.85 billion pesos | 16.34 billion pesos | +3.09% | Terminal operating fees and ship berthing services |
2. Regional growth drivers and commodities going overseas
This growth in freight is mainly due to the strong boost in bulk commodity exports from the Regional Port Management Office (PMO):
- Mineral and industrial raw materials are operating at high levels : The shipment volume of metal ores and raw ores in port areas such as Eastern Leyte/Samar, Surigao and Zamboanga del Norte has significantly increased, becoming the main force supporting the jump in throughput of ports in the south and east.
- Strong demand for infrastructure materials and consumption : The capital area and core ports in Luzon (Manila International Container Terminal MICT and North Port) maintain high-frequency circulation of imported construction steel, cement raw materials, petroleum products and consumer electronics, effectively hedging the disturbance of fluctuations in the transport capacity of some global trunk lines.
3. Intelligent port dispatch and infrastructure upgrade
In order to cope with the growing throughput pressure and alleviate the historic port congestion problem, PPA has comprehensively promoted a number of port modernization initiatives:
- Intelligent berth allocation and reservation system : By introducing a digital ship queuing and yard container dispatching system, the Manila Port Area has reduced the average waiting time for berthing operations of mainline container ships by nearly 18%, significantly improving the terminal turnover rate.
- Cold chain and fresh food rapid customs clearance channels : Establish special green clearance points for the import and export of agricultural products and seafood, optimize the connection process between commodity inspection and customs clearance, reduce the cargo damage rate and ensure the timeliness of fresh produce.
- Optimization of terminal fee structure and construction of green ports : Gradually implement phased adjustments to port service rates, while increasing funding for shore power facilities and low-carbon loading and unloading equipment to enhance the port's long-term operational competitiveness.
4. Enlightenment and operational suggestions for the cross-border logistics industry
The steady growth of the Philippines' total freight volume reflects the deepening dividends of ASEAN regional trade integration, but it also puts forward higher coordination requirements for cross-border freight forwarding and foreign trade import and export enterprises:
- Pay attention to space booking and pre-declaration during peak seasons : In view of the increased throughput load of major container hubs, it is recommended that shippers make shipment plans in advance and use the digital document system to complete pre-clearance declarations in advance to avoid demurrage/detention at the destination port.
- Pay attention to DDP/DDU double clearing and door-to-door compliance : The Philippine Customs strictly reviews the tariffs and valuations of specific commodities. Enterprises should standardize the declared value and cargo list, and choose logistics channels with stable destination port customs clearance and local delivery resources to avoid inspection risks.