A new Port of Aparri has been launched as a strategic logistics hub, marking a major shift to decentralize maritime trade and link Northern Luzon directly to Northeast Asian markets.
On Thursday, Feb. 12, the provincial government of Aparri and the Bureau of Customs held a port activation ceremony to strengthen supply chain resilience by positioning the Cagayan Valley as a competitive node in the Asia-Pacific corridor.
“This is not merely the opening of a port — this is the opening of opportunity,” Cagayan Governor Edgar Aglipay said during the ceremony.
“We are aligning Cagayan with national growth trends and giving our producers, exporters, and investors a direct gateway to global markets,” he said.
Bureau of Customs officials confirmed that systems and personnel are now in place to manage lawful and transparent trade flows.
Situated at the northern tip of Luzon, the facility provides direct access to the Babuyan Channel and sits about 285 nautical miles from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, which serves as a primary transshipment hub for Chinese supply chains.
The launch follows a period of significant growth for the maritime sector. Philippine Ports Authority data showed national cargo throughput reached 308.5 million metric tons in 2025, up 6.6 percent year-on-year, while container traffic surpassed 8 million twenty-foot equivalent units.
The operationalization includes full customs clearance capabilities, cargo inspection protocols and inter-agency coordination to streamline processing for agricultural exports and industrial inputs.
The BOC said that with operations activated, the agency is ensuring trade through Aparri will be secure, compliant and investor-friendly.
The port is expected to reduce logistics costs for businesses that previously routed cargo through southern Luzon. By offering an alternative gateway, officials expect to decongest heavily utilized ports in Manila and Batangas, while stimulating investment in cold chain facilities and warehousing.
The proximity to Taiwan and mainland China is particularly significant given the scale of bilateral trade. In 2024, Philippine exports to China totaled $9.42 billion, while imports from China reached $52.27 billion. Local officials believe the northern hub can capture incremental cargo volumes currently constrained by the distance to southern ports.
Philippine Ports Authority projections for 2026 suggest continued growth in throughput across the national network.
In 2025, ship calls rose to 664,817, while roll-on/roll-off movements climbed to 12.81 million vehicles, signaling an economy increasingly integrated into global supply chains.
Aglipay described the port as a foundation for sustainable trade expansion and regional economic integration.
As shipping lines begin evaluating the northern corridor, the facility is positioned to evolve into a feeder port for Asia-Pacific routes, he said.
