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The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (December 7) released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2015.
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In the third quarter of 2015, total port cargo throughput decreased by 16.5% compared with a year earlier to 63.8 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo decreased by 21.5% and 8.4% to 36.9 million tonnes and 26.9 million tonnes respectively.
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For the first 9 months of 2015, total port cargo throughput decreased by 9.9% compared with a year earlier to 200.6 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo decreased by 13.8% and 3.5% to 119.4 million tonnes and 81.2 million tonnes respectively.
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On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 6.3% in the third quarter of 2015. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo decreased by 6.7% and 5.7% respectively. The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.
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Port cargo
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Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 16.0% and 17.3% in the third quarter of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 41.2 million tonnes and 22.6 million tonnes respectively.
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Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 30.0% and 9.0% in the third quarter of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 19.6 million tonnes and 17.3 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) increased by 0.4% compared with a year earlier to 10.5 million tonnes, while outward transhipment decreased by 13.3% to 16.3 million tonnes.
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Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 12.0% and 5.6% in the first 9 months of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 131.6 million tonnes and 69.0 million tonnes respectively.
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Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 14.4% and 13.0% in the first 9 months of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 67.6 million tonnes and 51.7 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports increased by 17.4% compared with a year earlier to 31.1 million tonnes, while outward transhipment decreased by 13.1% to 50.1 million tonnes.
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The detailed port cargo statistics are summarised in Table 1.
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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.
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Comparing the third quarter of 2015 with the third quarter of 2014, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Korea (+13.9%) and Singapore (+11.0%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the mainland of China (-36.1%), Vietnam (-21.8%), Indonesia (-21.5%), the United States of America (-15.9%), Taiwan (-14.0%) and Malaysia (-11.2%). For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Taiwan (-40.1%), Thailand (-27.7%), Singapore (-26.3%), the United States of America (-16.5%), the Philippines (-15.3%) and Malaysia (-12.1%).
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Comparing the first 9 months of 2015 with the same period in 2014, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Singapore (+19.6%) and Korea (+14.9%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (-23.1%), the mainland of China (-21.0%), Indonesia (-20.7%) and Malaysia (-18.8%). For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Taiwan (-33.1%), Singapore (-22.4%), Malaysia (-16.5%), the United States of America (-15.3%), Thailand (-14.5%), Korea (-13.8%) and Japan (-13.5%).
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The principal commodities of inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.
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Comparing the third quarter of 2015 with the third quarter of 2014, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials; and coal, coke and briquettes" (+11.4%), "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (-12.6%) as well as "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-55.4%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "machinery" (-10.2%) and "iron and steel" (-26.4%).
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Comparing the first 9 months of 2015 with the same period in 2014, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials; and coal, coke and briquettes" (+11.2%), "iron and steel" (-11.3%), "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (-14.8%) as well as "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-32.0%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (+22.4%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-12.8%) and "iron and steel" (-17.9%).
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Containers
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In the third quarter of 2015, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.2 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 8.3% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 8.6% and 7.0% to 4.4 million TEUs and 0.7 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers dropped by 5.8% and 11.3% to 2.3 million TEUs and 2.2 million TEUs respectively.
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In the first 9 months of 2015, the port of Hong Kong handled 15.4 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 8.5% compared with the same period in 2014. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 9.1% and 5.1% to 13.2 million TEUs and 2.3 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers dropped by 8.1% and 10.1% to 6.7 million TEUs and 6.5 million TEUs respectively.
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On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 3.1% in the third quarter of 2015. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 2.4% and 3.9% respectively.
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Seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 8.7% and 8.1% to 3.2 million TEUs and 1.2 million TEUs respectively.
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Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 3.5% and 6.8% in the third quarter of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 0.7 million TEUs and 1.5 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 12.2% and 10.8% to 0.7 million TEUs and 1.5 million TEUs respectively.
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In the first 9 months of 2015, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 10.8% and 4.2% compared with the same period in 2014 to 9.5 million TEUs and 3.6 million TEUs respectively.
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Within inward laden containers, imports increased by 0.4% to 2.1 million TEUs in the first 9 months of 2015 compared with a year earlier, while inward transhipment decreased by 11.6% to 4.5 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, both exports and outward transhipment decreased by 6.3% and 11.6% to 2.0 million TEUs and 4.5 million TEUs respectively.
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The detailed container statistics are summarised in Table 6.
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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.
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Vessel arrivals
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Comparing the third quarter of 2015 with the third quarter of 2014, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 4.0% to 7 130, with the total capacity increasing by 6.3% to 103.4 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 1.3% to 40 330, with the total capacity also decreasing by 7.3% to 26.1 million net registered tons.
Comparing the first 9 months of 2015 with the same period in 2014, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 2.2% to 21 990, with the total capacity increasing by 3.0% to 310.8 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals increased by 1.3% to 119 900, with the total capacity decreasing by 5.1% to 78.3 million net registered tons.
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The statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong are given in Table 7.
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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.
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Further information
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More detailed statistics on port cargo, containers and vessels are published in the quarterly report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics".
The July - September 2015 issue of the report will be available by the end of December. 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).
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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/Monday, December 7, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:31
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