THE Bureau of Customs has begun reviewing policies regarding the disposal of seized and abandoned shipments in the country’s ports, a move that could decongest terminals and make cargo handling operations more efficient.

The bureau, the national government’s second-largest revenue source, has already set aside some P1.7 million for a consulting company, which will help develop a manual to deal with the abandoned shipments clogging Philippine ports for years. The customs bureau said that the bidding for such services will only be open to individual Filipino consultants.

Once implemented, the proposal could end a long-running feud on who should take responsibility for the abandoned cargoes: the bureau, the terminal operators, or the shipping lines which transported them to the country.

In an earlier interview, BOC deputy commissioner Reynaldo Nicolas said that no one among the three said entities are interested in disposing such cargo because the undertaking involves expenses. Besides earning very little if these abandoned shipments are auctioned off to the public, there are no rules covering the initiative.

The bureau itself is not inclined to lead in the disposal since it lacks funds to carry out the measure and its hands are already full trying to attain its higher collection targets for the year of P228.2 billion.

For its part, the Manila International Container Terminal said the bureau’s overstaying cargoes, which were either intercepted or awaiting clearance, have led to more congestion. Besides further hiking inefficiency, it also causes losses of potential revenue.

While current data on unclaimed cargoes remain unavailable, industry estimates indicate that hundreds of twenty-foot metal containers in Manila ports—and several hundreds more in the Visayas and Mindanao—are left unclaimed due to misdeclaration or questionable identity of consignee.

These cargoes range from textiles, garments, cigarettes, vegetables, information technology materials, and other vehicles, normally luxury cars.

During last year’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation intermodal transport seminar, international carriers claimed that congestion in the country’s ports leads to slower turnaround time and longer waiting time for carriers.

THE Bureau of Customs has begun reviewing policies regarding the disposal of seized and abandoned shipments in the country’s ports, a move that could decongest terminals and make cargo handling operations more efficient.

THE Philippine government is expected to issue a decision Tuesday whether two rival companies are eligible to bid for the rights to manage and develop the Manila North Harbor.

THE T/S Spirit of MOL, a 4,878 ton vessel training ship arrived at Pier 13 of the South Harbor in Manila last July 9. Owned and operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. (MOL), the vessel will be used to train a cross-cultural mix of maritime cadets on four-to six-month training voyages around Asia starting the end of July.