*********************************************************
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (June 7) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the first quarter of 2016.
In the first quarter of 2016, total port cargo throughput decreased by 18.7% compared with a year earlier to 55.6 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo decreased by 22.9% and 12.1% to 32.3 million tonnes and 23.3 million tonnes respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 6.2% in the first quarter of 2016. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo increased by 2.1% and 12.3% 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 23.0% and 10.1% in the first quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 35.3 million tonnes and 20.4 million tonnes respectively.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 29.3% and 12.7% in the first quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 18.2 million tonnes and 14.1 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 8.1% and 14.5% compared with a year earlier to 9.2 million tonnes and 14.1 million tonnes respectively.
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 2016 with the first quarter of 2015, a double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (+33.5%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the mainland of China (-33.2%), Taiwan (-31.7%), the United States of America (-28.6%), Singapore (-20.7%), Thailand (-20.1%), Japan (-20.1%) and Korea (-13.8%). For outward port cargo, a double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macau (+58.2%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Vietnam (-29.7%), Malaysia (-27.2%), the United States of America (-18.3%), Thailand (-15.6%) and Japan (-11.3%).
The principal commodities of inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.
Comparing the first quarter of 2016 with the first quarter of 2015, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+17.7%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-15.5%), "machinery" (-15.6%), "iron and steel" (-21.7%) and "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-53.2%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "machinery" (-16.6%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-23.4%) and "iron and steel" (-31.6%).
Containers
In the first quarter of 2016, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.32 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 12.1% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 12.7% and 9.1% to 3.66 million TEUs and 0.66 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers dropped by 10.1% and 15.2% to 1.85 million TEUs and 1.81 million TEUs respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 1.1% in the first quarter of 2016. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 0.9% and 1.2% respectively.
In the first quarter of 2016, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 16.0% and 3.3% compared with a year earlier to 2.58 million TEUs and 1.08 million TEUs respectively.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 8.6% and 10.8% in the first quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 0.58 million TEUs and 1.27 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 16.4% and 14.6% to 0.53 million TEUs and 1.28 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 first quarter of 2016 with the first quarter of 2015, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 8.9% to 6 702, with the total capacity also decreasing by 6.7% to 96.0 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 3.3% to 37 912, while the total capacity increased by 2.7% to 26.3 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, First Quarter 2016". 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-June 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/Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:30
NNNN