Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Santiago on Thursday denied reports of reefer yard congestion at the Manila ports, saying current utilization rates remain within manageable levels.
Citing data as of February 12, 2026, Santiago said reefer yard utilization at Manila South Harbor stands at 70 percent, while the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) is at 85 percent.
Overall yard utilization, which covers both dry and refrigerated containers, is at 73 percent for South Harbor and 84 percent for MICT, he added.
“There is no port congestion,” he said, emphasizing that the rates showed the yard facilities are “far from being congested.”
Earlier, port users, traders and truckers warned of imminent overall port congestion as reefer yard utilization had breached 100 percent rate.
Santiago clarified that what some stakeholders describe as congestion stems from operational issues outside direct port management, particularly between shipping lines and truckers or brokers in the handling, pull-out, and return of empty containers.
He attributed the relatively high reefer yard utilization to delays in the withdrawal of cleared cargoes by importers, noting that some refrigerated containers remain inside the terminal even after release by the Bureau of Customs.
“If they (importers) do not diligently withdraw their reefers, the yard will certainly get filled up,” he said in a text message.
Santiago also pointed to the lack of adequate off-dock or dedicated yard facilities for empty containers, which should be provided by shipping lines, as a contributing factor to yard space constraints.
When asked whether there is a directive requiring shipping lines to invest in yard facilities for their empty containers, Santiago said the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Maritime Industry Authority.
Except for terminal operations, he said, PPA has no jurisdiction over shipping lines.
