General Santos, Philippines
Customs clearance in General Santos
Import and export clearance for shipments to and from General Santos. Customs clearance in the Philippines is handled by our own in-house customs team.
Industries in General Santos and how we support them
General Santos is known as the tuna capital of the Philippines, with a large fish port, tuna canneries and processing plants exporting canned, frozen and fresh tuna. South Cotabato also has major pineapple plantations and canning operations around Polomolok. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with air freight for fresh seafood via GES and MNL on our own air waybills, reefer FCL via Makar Wharf for canned and frozen products, and Next Flight Out for urgent cannery spare parts. Our own customs team handles declarations in-house.
Operational logistics facts for General Santos
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| General Santos International Airport (GES) | Domestic air freight, fresh seafood | Airport for South Cotabato with flights to Manila |
| Makar Wharf | FCL and reefer containers | Main port for canned and frozen tuna exports |
| General Santos Fish Port Complex | Tuna landing and processing | Seafood exports with direct link to processors |
| South Cotabato plantations (Polomolok) | Pineapple and food products | Export flows via Makar Wharf |
Airports, seaports and connections in General Santos
- AirportGeneral Santos
GES - AirportManila
MNL - SeaportMakar Wharf
General Santos International Airport (GES) serves the city with domestic flights to Manila (MNL) and Cebu (CEB). Fresh tuna and other seafood exports therefore usually connect via Manila. Sea freight runs through Makar Wharf, the city's main port, which handles containers and domestic shipping. The General Santos Fish Port Complex is the landing point for the city's tuna fleet, so fresh catch, processing and export documentation are concentrated in one place. Davao's ports and airport, reached by road, are a further option.
The Pan-Philippine Highway connects General Santos with Davao City to the north-east and with Koronadal and Cotabato to the north-west. Roads lead to Polomolok and the pineapple plantations of South Cotabato. We arrange pick-up and delivery across General Santos and South Cotabato.
In-house customs team
Import and export entries for the Philippines are prepared and filed by our in-house customs team. The same team checks the documents before the goods leave origin, so most open points are settled before the goods arrive.
Customs clearance in the Philippines
In-house customs team
Customs clearance in the Philippines is handled by our own in-house customs team.
For air freight to and from the Philippines we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in the Philippines need accreditation as an importer with the Bureau of Customs.
Documents we check before shipping
Commercial invoice, packing list, the transport document and, where needed, certificates of origin, licences or permits. We check that descriptions, values and HS codes are consistent across all documents before the goods move.
Frequently asked questions
Can customs be cleared in General Santos?
Goods arriving directly at Makar Wharf can be cleared locally, while goods via Manila are usually cleared there. Our own customs team handles the declarations in-house, without outside brokers.
What documents do tuna exports need?
Tuna exports need health certificates, catch documentation for some markets and must meet the destination's import rules, such as EU or US requirements. Our customs team checks the requirements and prepares the export declaration.
Can you clear imports of cannery equipment?
Yes. Cannery equipment is declared like other imports, and some projects benefit from incentives that need supporting documents. Our customs team reviews the case and prepares the declaration.