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The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (March 7) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the fourth quarter of 2015.
In the fourth quarter of 2015, total port cargo throughput decreased by 25.5% compared with a year earlier to 56.0 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo decreased by 26.9% and 23.3% to 33.4 million tonnes and 22.5 million tonnes respectively.
For 2015 as a whole, total port cargo throughput decreased by 13.8% compared with a year earlier to 256.6 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo decreased by 17.0% and 8.6% to 152.8 million tonnes and 103.8 million tonnes respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 11.7% in the fourth quarter of 2015. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo decreased by 7.5% and 17.4% respectively. 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 decreased by 22.7% and 30.5% in the fourth quarter of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 37.0 million tonnes and 19.0 million tonnes respectively.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 35.8% and 13.3% in the fourth quarter of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 17.8 million tonnes and 15.7 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 39.2% and 13.0% compared with a year earlier to 7.0 million tonnes and 15.5 million tonnes respectively.
Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 14.6% and 12.4% in the whole year of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 168.6 million tonnes and 88.0 million tonnes respectively.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 19.9% and 13.0% in the whole year of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 85.4 million tonnes and 67.4 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports increased by 0.2% compared with a year earlier to 38.2 million tonnes, while outward transhipment decreased by 13.1% to 65.6 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 fourth quarter of 2015 with the fourth quarter of 2014, a double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Singapore (+13.5%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the mainland of China (-41.6%), the United States of America (-28.2%), Taiwan (-22.4%), Korea (-16.6%), Indonesia (-15.4%) and Vietnam (-10.6%). For outward port cargo, a double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+40.6%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Malaysia (-33.4%), the mainland of China (-30.6%), Taiwan (-28.4%), Thailand (-28.0%), the Philippines (-20.7%), the United States of America (-19.1%) and Vietnam (-18.8%).
Comparing the whole year of 2015 with the whole year of 2014, a double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Singapore (+18.1%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the mainland of China (-26.4%), Vietnam (-20.3%), Indonesia (-19.6%), Malaysia (-14.6%), the United States of America (-12.9%) and Taiwan (-10.5%). For outward port cargo, a double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+22.2%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Taiwan (-32.1%), Malaysia (-20.7%), Thailand (-18.1%), the United States of America (-16.1%), Japan (-11.5%), Korea (-10.7%) and the Philippines (-10.1%).
The principal commodities of inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.
Comparing the fourth quarter of 2015 with the fourth 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" (+12.3%), "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+11.4%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-12.2%), "iron and steel" (-12.2%), "machinery" (-12.6%) as well as "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-63.3%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "machinery" (-14.1%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-17.5%), "iron and steel" (-33.4%) and "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-48.6%).
Comparing the whole year of 2015 with the whole year 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" (+11.5%), "iron and steel" (-11.5%) as well as "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-40.6%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "machinery" (-10.1%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-11.4%) and "iron and steel" (-21.9%).
Containers
In the fourth quarter of 2015, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.7 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 13.3% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 13.5% and 12.1% to 3.9 million TEUs and 0.7 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers dropped by 12.5% and 14.6% to 2.0 million TEUs and 1.9 million TEUs respectively.
For 2015 as a whole, the port of Hong Kong handled 20.1 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 9.7% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 10.2% and 6.9% to 17.1 million TEUs and 3.0 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers dropped by 9.2% and 11.1% to 8.7 million TEUs and 8.4 million TEUs respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 8.5% in the fourth quarter of 2015. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 9.6% and 7.3% respectively.
In the fourth quarter of 2015, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 14.5% and 11.2% compared with a year earlier to 2.8 million TEUs and 1.2 million TEUs respectively.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 11.1% and 13.1% in the fourth quarter of 2015 compared with a year earlier to 0.6 million TEUs and 1.4 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 19.3% and 12.4% to 0.6 million TEUs and 1.4 million TEUs respectively.
In the whole year of 2015, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 11.7% and 6.0% compared with the whole year of 2014 to 12.3 million TEUs and 4.8 million TEUs respectively.
In the whole year of 2015, within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 2.5% and 12.0% compared with the whole year of 2014 to 2.8 million TEUs and 5.9 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 9.6% and 11.8% to 2.6 million TEUs and 5.9 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 fourth quarter of 2015 with the fourth quarter of 2014, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 8.7% to 7 024, with the total capacity also decreasing by 1.9% to 101.1 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 5.6% to 38 607, with the total capacity also decreasing by 11.2% to 25.5 million net registered tons.
Comparing the whole year of 2015 with the whole year of 2014, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 3.9% to 29 011, while the total capacity increasing by 1.8% to 411.8 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 0.5% to 158 508, with the total capacity also decreasing by 6.7% to 103.7 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 will be published in the report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics, Fourth Quarter 2015". 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) as from end-March 2016.
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, March 7, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:30
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