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Manila
Philippines
PHMNL
No Data
K+N Status
AIS limited in region
K+N24 Mar 2026
Updated 16m ago

Port Intelligence — What freight teams need to know

Manila's MICT yard runs 80%+ with reefer utilization hitting 90-100% in early 2026. PPA officially denies congestion but stakeholders disagree — empty container depots at 85-90% utilization. Off-window vessels wait 3+ days. The Philippines is a major food importer and reefer plug availability at MICT is the critical constraint for cold chain.

No K+N update for this port yet

Weekly reports are loaded every Monday. Check back soon.

Customs Reality at Manila
5d
Published free time
3d
Effective free time

BOC clearance can be slow. FDA product registration required for food. Container yard utilization near max.

Demurrage: $22/TEU/day · Detention: $14/TEU/day

Common Rejection Reasons

  • FDA Philippines product registration missing
  • Import permit for regulated food items
  • Labeling in Filipino/English required
Cold Chain Reality at Manila
Mitigation:Route via MSH where reefer utilization is 50-60%. Monitor MICT reefer acceptance status before booking.
Failure point:Terminal — reefer plug capacity at MICT
Significance:Critical — Philippines is a major food importer with heavy reefer dependence
Primary failure mode:MICT reefer plug saturation at 90-100%. Import reefer acceptance was temporarily suspended in late Dec 2025.
Reefer plug availability:CRITICAL at MICT. Adequate at MSH.
Alternative Ports to Manila

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+$100/TEU
60 nm away24h less wait
Works for: Central Luzon. Less congested.
Not for: Metro Manila — adds 3+ hours trucking.

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Live AIS Vessels

AIS coverage limited at this port. The free AIS tier has restricted coverage in some regions, particularly mainland China ports and parts of the Middle East.

Terminal Intelligence
MICT (Manila International Container Terminal)
Operator: ICTSI
Typical wait: 2.5d
Yard occupancy: 82%
Reefer utilization 90-100% in Jan-Feb 2026. Import reefer acceptance temporarily suspended, then resumed Jan 5 with tight plug availability.
MSH (Manila South Harbor)
Operator: ATI
Typical wait: 2d
Yard occupancy: 75%
70-80% utilization. Reefer at 50-60% — better than MICT.
Recommendation: For reefer, MSH has significantly better reefer plug availability (50-60%) vs MICT (90-100%). Route reefer via MSH if carrier allows.
Money Traps at Manila
Off-window vessel waits 3+ days
Vessels arriving outside window wait 3+ days for berth. Genset fuel depletion risk.
Ensure vessel adheres to berth window. Off-window = major delay.
Reefer acceptance suspension at MICT
Late Dec 2025: MICT stopped accepting import reefers. Resumed Jan 5 but plug availability remains tight.
Confirm reefer acceptance status before shipping. Have MSH as backup.
Seasonal Patterns
Jun-Nov (Typhoon season)
Philippines is the world's most typhoon-affected country. Multiple port closures per season.
Build significant buffer. Monitor PAGASA warnings.
Dec-Feb (Peak import season)
Holiday/festival demand spikes. Reefer utilization hits 100%.
Book early. Route via MSH for reefer.

Sources

Port status: Kuehne+Nagel Port Operational Update

Port intelligence: CargoPilot curated research

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