The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (December 6) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2016.

     In the third quarter of 2016, total port cargo throughput increased by 5.6% compared with a year earlier to 67.3 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo increased by 8.0% and 2.3% compared with a year earlier to 39.9 million tonnes and 27.5 million tonnes respectively.

     For the first nine months of 2016, total port cargo throughput decreased by 7.4% compared with a year earlier to 185.7 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo decreased by 9.1% and 4.9% compared with a year earlier to 108.5 million tonnes and 77.2 million tonnes respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 8.2% in the third quarter of 2016. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo increased by 12.0% and 3.2% 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 4.8% and 7.0% in the third quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 43.2 million tonnes and 24.2 million tonnes respectively.
　
     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 14.7% and 0.4% in the third quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 22.5 million tonnes and 17.4 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment increased by 3.6% and 1.4% compared with a year earlier to 10.9 million tonnes and 16.6 million tonnes respectively.

     Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 9.9% and 2.6% in the first nine months of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 118.5 million tonnes and 67.2 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 10.9% and 6.7% in the first nine months of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 60.2 million tonnes and 48.3 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 0.2% and 7.9% compared with a year earlier to 31.1 million tonnes and 46.1 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 third quarter of 2016 with the third quarter of 2015, triple-digit or double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (+145.2%), Malaysia (+31.3%), Singapore (+23.4%) and Taiwan (+14.2%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Japan (-21.4%) and Korea (-11.2%). For outward port cargo, triple-digit or double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+233.4%), Taiwan (+21.6%) and Japan (+12.2%). On the other hand, double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Malaysia (-20.3%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2016 with the first nine months of 2015, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (+47.1%) and Malaysia (+18.4%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the mainland of China (-17.6%), Japan (-16.6%), the United States of America (-14.5%), Taiwan (-13.9%) and Thailand (-12.1%). For outward port cargo, a triple-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+159.2%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Malaysia (-22.2%) and Vietnam (-11.6%).

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

     Comparing the third quarter of 2016 with the third quarter of 2015, triple-digit or double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "coal, coke and briquettes" (+152.7%) as well as "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (-11.4%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit change was recorded in the tonnage of "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (+39.0%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2016 with the first nine months of 2015, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "coal, coke and briquettes" (+63.2%), "machinery" (-11.5%) as well as "stone, sand and gravel" (-39.2%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (+18.0%) and "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-13.6%).

Containers

     In the third quarter of 2016, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.13 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 0.9% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 0.5% and 3.5% to 4.41 million TEUs and 0.72 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 1.3% to 2.29 million TEUs, while outward containers dropped by 2.4% to 2.13 million TEUs.

     For the first nine months of 2016, the port of Hong Kong handled 14.33 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 7.0% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 6.9% and 8.2% to 12.26 million TEUs and 2.07 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers dropped by 5.0% and 8.7% to 6.33 million TEUs and 5.92 million TEUs respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 4.1% in the third quarter of 2016. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers increased by 5.3% and 2.7% respectively.

     In the third quarter of 2016, seaborne laden containers decreased by 2.8% compared with a year earlier to 3.11 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 5.4% to 1.30 million TEUs.

     Within inward laden containers, imports increased by 4.1% in the third quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 0.75 million TEUs, while inward transhipment decreased by 0.1% to 1.54 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 3.8% and 1.7% to 0.66 million TEUs and 1.47 million TEUs respectively.

     In the first nine months of 2016, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 8.1% and 3.6% compared with a year earlier to 8.74 million TEUs and 3.52 million TEUs respectively.

     Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 3.5% and 5.7% in the first nine months of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 2.04 million TEUs and 4.29 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 9.3% and 8.5% to 1.80 million TEUs and 4.13 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 2016 with the third quarter of 2015, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 1.4% to 7 030, while the total capacity increased by 3.1% to 106.6 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 1.0% to 39 911, while the total capacity increased by 9.2% to 28.5 million net registered tons.

     Comparing the first nine months of 2016 with the first nine months of 2015, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 5.3% to 20 823, with the total capacity also decreasing by 2.2% to 303.8 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 2.3% to 117 091, while the total capacity increased by 5.8% to 82.8 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, Third 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-December 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, December 6, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:30

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