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Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for third quarter of 2017
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     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (December 5) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2017.

     In the third quarter of 2017, total port cargo throughput increased by 5.3% compared with a year earlier to 70.9 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo increased by 10.7% compared with a year earlier to 44.1 million tonnes, while outward port cargo decreased by 2.5% to 26.8 million tonnes.

     For the first nine months of 2017, total port cargo throughput increased by 11.3% compared with a year earlier to 206.8 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo increased by 17.9% and 2.1% compared with a year earlier to 128.0 million tonnes and 78.9 million tonnes respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 1.4% in the third quarter of 2017. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo increased by 0.6% and 2.8% respectively compared with the preceding quarter. The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.

Port cargo

     Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo increased by 2.0% and 11.3% in the third quarter of 2017 compared with a year earlier to 44.0 million tonnes and 26.9 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 13.7% and 6.8% in the third quarter of 2017 compared with a year earlier to 25.5 million tonnes and 18.6 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) decreased by 14.6% compared with a year earlier to 9.3 million tonnes, while outward transhipment increased by 5.6% to 17.5 million tonnes.

     Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo increased by 12.2% and 9.8% in the first nine months of 2017 compared with a year earlier to 133.1 million tonnes and 73.8 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 20.5% and 14.6% in the first nine months of 2017 compared with a year earlier to 72.6 million tonnes and 55.4 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports decreased by 12.1% compared with a year earlier to 27.4 million tonnes, while outward transhipment increased by 11.7% to 51.5 million tonnes.

     The detailed port cargo statistics are summarised in Table 1.

     The main countries/territories of loading of inward port cargo and countries/territories of discharge of outward port cargo are shown in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively.

     Comparing the third quarter of 2017 with the third quarter of 2016, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Malaysia (+30.0%), the mainland of China (+21.6%) and Korea (+11.9%). On the other hand, double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (-43.8%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Malaysia (+39.8%), Taiwan (+33.7%) and Korea (+30.2%). On the other hand, double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (-72.9%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2017 with the first nine months of 2016, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the mainland of China (+21.5%), Malaysia (+21.0%), Singapore (+16.6%), Thailand (+16.4%), Taiwan (+16.3%) and Vietnam (+10.3%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Korea (+41.9%), Taiwan (+32.0%) and Malaysia (+22.6%). On the other hand, double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (-32.5%).
   
     The principal commodities of inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.

     Comparing the third quarter of 2017 with the third quarter of 2016, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (+97.2%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (+21.7%), "machinery" (+11.5%) and "coal, coke and briquettes" (-30.3%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+34.5%), "pulp and waste paper" (+31.1%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (+12.9%) and "stone, sand and gravel" (-25.3%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2017 with the first nine months of 2016, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (+73.4%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (+39.3%), "machinery" (+10.9%) and "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (+10.0%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "pulp and waste paper" (+38.3%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (+25.9%), "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+23.8%) and "stone, sand and gravel" (-23.0%).

Containers

     In the third quarter of 2017, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.31 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 3.4% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers increased by 1.7% and 13.9% to 4.49 million TEUs and 0.82 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers increased by 0.3% and 3.1% to 2.29 million TEUs and 2.19 million TEUs respectively.

     For the first nine months of 2017, the port of Hong Kong handled 15.56 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 8.6% compared with a year earlier.  Within this total, laden and empty containers increased by 8.5% and 9.0% to 13.30 million TEUs and 2.26 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers increased by 8.4% and 8.6% to 6.87 million TEUs and 6.43 million TEUs respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 3.0% in the third quarter of 2017. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 2.7% and 3.4% respectively.

     In the third quarter of 2017, seaborne laden containers increased by 3.1% compared with a year earlier to 3.21 million TEUs, while river laden containers decreased by 1.7% compared with a year earlier to 1.28 million TEUs.

     Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 10.9% in the third quarter of 2017 compared with a year earlier to 0.66 million TEUs, while inward transhipment increased by 5.8% to 1.63 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports decreased by 2.7% to 0.64 million TEUs, while outward transhipment increased by 5.7% to 1.55 million TEUs.

     In the first nine months of 2017, seaborne and river laden containers increased by 10.9% and 2.6% compared with a year earlier to 9.69 million TEUs and 3.61 million TEUs respectively.

     Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 0.6% in the first nine months of 2017 compared with a year earlier to 2.03 million TEUs, while inward transhipment increased by 12.7% compared with a year earlier to 4.83 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment increased by 1.4% and 11.7% to 1.82 million TEUs and 4.61 million TEUs respectively.

     The detailed container statistics are summarised in Table 6.

     Port cargo and laden container statistics are compiled from a sample of consignments listed in the cargo manifests supplied by shipping companies and agents to the C&SD.

Vessel arrivals

     Comparing the third quarter of 2017 with the third quarter of 2016, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 3.5% to 6 784, while the total capacity increased by 1.0% to 107.7 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 2.0% to 39 109, while the total capacity increased by 3.0% to 29.4 million net registered tons.

     Comparing the first nine months of 2017 with the first nine months of 2016, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 3.0% to 20 206, while the total capacity increased by 5.0% to 319.0 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals increased by 0.8% to 118 049, with the total capacity also increasing by 8.2% to 89.6 million net registered tons.

     The statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong are given in Table 7.
   
     Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters and authorised shipping agents. Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.

Further information

     More detailed statistics on port cargo, containers and vessels are published in the report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics, Third Quarter 2017". Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp130.jsp?productCode=B1020008).

     For enquiries about port cargo and container statistics, please contact the Outward Processing and Shipping Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 2126 or email: shipping@censtatd.gov.hk). For enquiries about vessel statistics, readers may contact the Statistics Section under the Planning, Development and Port Security Branch of the Marine Department (Tel: 2852 3661 or email: st-sec@mardep.gov.hk).
 
Ends/Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:30
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