By Betheena Kae Unite Yard utilization at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) is expected to improve in the coming days as the transfer of overstaying containers continues, the Bureau of Customs said Friday. Bureau of Customs logo (Manila Buleltin File Photo) A total of 472 overstaying and abandoned containers have already been transferred to the Pacific Roadlink Logistics, Inc. (PRLI) in Angat, Bulacan, while 925 containers have been transferred to the Manila North Harbor Container Port, Inc. (MNHPI) in Manila and 78 containers were also transferred to the Laguna Gateway Inland Terminal. The movement of the containers aims to improve yard utilization in ports and ensure the movement of goods amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, the bureau said when they announced to transfer 4,000 containers from MICP to other container yards Monday. “While the transfer of containers provides relief to the yard, this is only a short-term solution,” the bureau said. For the long-term, the Customs bureau reminded importers to claim their containers to free up the yard. Since March 25, the MICP has recorded a total of 10,852 containers claimed from the yard, 1,007 of which are reefers and 9,845 dry containers. Meanwhile, the yard utilization rate at the Port of Manila (POM) remains low at 58 percent with reefer yard utilization at 90 percent as of April 3. The POM continues to support the MICP in addressing port operations and trigger all entries sent to expedite the payment of duties and taxes and the eventual pullout of cargoes. “From March 24, 2020 up to April 2, 2020, POM has triggered 6,305 entries, of which 4,336 entries or 68 percent is from MICP. For April 2, 2020, a total of 4,596 containers were processed by POM with 3,522 or 76 percent of these belonging to MICP,” the bureau reported.