Manila North Harbour Port, Inc. (MNHPI) is seeking an upward adjustment in storage charges and parking fee at NorthPort, the domestic terminal at Manila North Harbor.
MNHPI is proposing a 5.26% increase in storage charges for containerized cargoes and 5.21% upward adjustment for non-containerized cargoes to align NorthPort’s rates with that of other Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) domestic ports, MNHPI legal cargo and claims head Mark Vincent Escalona said during a public consultation on their petition on September 16.
MNHPI is also requesting for a 20.32% increase in parking fees, based on the computation of the consumer price index adjustment factor, which had increased by 20.32% from 2020 to 2024.
Both requests will be updating the rates approved by PPA for NorthPort in 2010.
The petition also aims to “encourage the timely movement of cargoes to avoid usage of the port as a depot and extended parking area, and generally to facilitate and ensure the effective, efficient and maximized utilization of port resources,” Escalona said.
The proposed storage charges for containerized cargoes — which are the same as charged in other PPA domestic ports — are the following:
For non-containerized cargoes, MNHPI proposes P5.65 per ton from the current P5.37 per ton.
Based on Escalona’s presentation, the effect of the proposed increase on storage rates on basic commodities are the same in peso value as the current rates. For example, for every kilogram of flour, rice, banana, sugar, corn grits, and dressed chicken, the effect of the proposed charges will be P0.009, the same as with the current rates.
The proposed parking rates versus the existing fees are the following:
Light /taxis
/haulers
Escalona noted that the existing parking rates at NorthPort are “not really reflective of the actual market rates” and are “not reasonable already” considering the developments and overall efficiencies introduced at the port.
He added that MNHPI has “poured in the biggest investments” in terms of domestic terminals, and that the proposed parking rates are not excessive or unreasonable.
Escalona noted projects and initiatives undertaken at NorthPort over the past years, such as the improved passenger terminal building and container terminal, improved parking area, reclamation of Slip 15 to provide more yard space, acquisition of high-capacity equipment, reefer facilities, one-stop processing center, and information technology-related investments.
New projects in the pipeline involve conversion of hybrid engines for select rubber-tired gantries (RTGs), acquisition of near zero emission RTGs, and acquisition of mobile harbor cranes.
Stakeholders, meanwhile, are given until September 23 to submit their position papers on MNHPI’s petition. Last month, MNHPI also proposed a 20.32% increase in cargo-handling tariff, passenger terminal fee, and porterage rates, as well as 13 new tariff items for NorthPort. – Roumina Pablo
