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Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the first quarter of 2014
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     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (June 9) released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the first quarter of 2014.

     In the first quarter of 2014, total port cargo throughput increased by 10% compared with a year earlier to 69.0 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo increased by 22% to 43.3 million tonnes, while outward port cargo decreased by 5% to 25.7 million tonnes.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 1% in the first quarter of 2014. Within this total, inward port cargo increased by 7%, while outward port cargo decreased by 8%. 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 13% and 4% compared with a year earlier to 48.1 million tonnes and 20.9 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 45% and 1% in the first quarter of 2014 compared with a year earlier to 24.4 million tonnes and 18.9 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) decreased by 23% compared with a year earlier to 7.0 million tonnes, while outward transhipment increased by 5% to 18.6 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 first quarter of 2014 with the first quarter of 2013, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the mainland of China (+53%), Malaysia (+38%), Singapore (+35%) and Japan (+20%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (-30%) and Taiwan (-10%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage discharged in Korea (+45%), the United States of America (+16%), Japan (+14%) and Vietnam (+10%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Thailand (-17%) and the mainland of China (-12%).

     The principal commodities of inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.

     Comparing the first quarter of 2014 with the first quarter of 2013, a double-digit increase was recorded in inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (+98%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded for "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (+38%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (+12%) and "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-30%).

Containers

     In the first quarter of 2014, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.3 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 1% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers increased by 1% to 4.5 million TEUs, while empty containers recorded virtually no change at 0.8 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers decreased by 1% to 2.3 million TEUs, while outward containers increased by 4% to 2.3 million TEUs.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 2% in the first quarter of 2014. Within this total, inward laden containers decreased by 5%, while outward laden containers increased by 2%.

     Seaborne laden containers recorded virtually no change in the first quarter of 2014 compared with a year earlier at 3.4 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 4% to 1.1 million TEUs.

     Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 4% in the first quarter of 2014 compared with a year earlier to 0.6 million TEUs, while inward transhipment recorded virtually no change at 1.6 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports recorded virtually no change at 0.6 million TEUs, while outward transhipment increased by 5% to 1.7 million TEUs.

     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 first quarter of 2014 with the first quarter of 2013, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 1% to 7 410, with the total capacity recording virtually no change at 101.6 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 1% to 37 820, with the total capacity increasing by 1% to 25.6 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 contained in the quarterly report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics".

     The January - March 2014 issue of the report will be available by the end of June. 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).

     Enquiries on port cargo and container statistics may be directed to the Shipping and Cargo Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4889 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/Monday, June 9, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:30

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