Safety Checks Continue At Philippines’ Largest Tuna Landing Port

The General Santos Fish Port Complex, the Philippines’ main hub for tuna landings, processing, and exports, will undergo a comprehensive structural assessment after the country was struck by a powerful earthquake in early June. This disrupted operations and prompted several tuna plants to temporary halt processing activities. The Department of Agriculture (DA) stated that preliminary findings suggest the port remains structurally sound. However, an initial post-earthquake assessment revealed structural concerns that warranted a temporary closure of the fish port’s market halls, while some others were flagged for further evaluation, according to Filipino news site Malaya Business Insight. A DA spokesperson explained that the structures, including the wharf, would be inspected in detail before making them fully operational.

Several tuna canneries temporarily shut down operations for a week as a result of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the Philippines on June 8. Century Pacific Foods (CNPF), among the largest tuna manufacturers and sellers in the Philippines, said it has partially resumed tuna processing at its General Santos facility. Currently, tuna fishing operations are also reportedly recovering.