Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for second quarter of 2018
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In the second quarter of 2018, total port cargo throughput decreased by 5.2% compared with a year earlier to 66.1 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 5.1% and 5.3% compared with a year earlier to 41.6 million tonnes and 24.5 million tonnes respectively.
For the first half of 2018, total port cargo throughput decreased by 3.0% compared with a year earlier to 131.8 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 1.9% and 4.8% compared with a year earlier to 82.2 million tonnes and 49.6 million tonnes respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 5.9% in the second quarter of 2018. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 4.4% and 8.2% 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 cargo decreased by 8.8% in the second quarter of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 42.2 million tonnes, while river cargo increased by 2.0% to 23.9 million tonnes.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 2.1% and 8.9% in the second quarter of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 23.9 million tonnes and 17.7 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) increased by 2.3% compared with a year earlier to 8.3 million tonnes, while outward transhipment decreased by 8.8% to 16.2 million tonnes.
Within port cargo, seaborne cargo decreased by 6.9% in the first half of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 82.9 million tonnes, while river cargo increased by 4.3% to 48.9 million tonnes.
Within inward port cargo, imports increased by 1.9% in the first half of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 47.9 million tonnes, while inward transhipment decreased by 6.7% to 34.3 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 4.9% and 4.7% compared with a year earlier to 17.2 million tonnes and 32.4 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 second quarter of 2018 with the second quarter of 2017, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Malaysia (+11.4%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Singapore (-22.0%) and Japan (-18.3%). For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (-40.9%), Thailand (-21.8%), Korea (-20.5%), Taiwan (-19.9%), Malaysia (-18.9%) and Japan (-10.6%).
Comparing the first half of 2018 with the first half of 2017, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Malaysia (+20.8%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Singapore (-22.7%) and Japan (-15.9%). For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (-57.8%), Thailand (-16.5%) and Korea (-16.0%).
The principal commodities of inward port cargo and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.
Comparing the second quarter of 2018 with the second quarter of 2017, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "coal, coke and briquettes" (+19.0%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (+20.0%) and "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (-27.3%).
Comparing the first half of 2018 with the first half of 2017, double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-14.5%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (+15.3%) and "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (-20.0%).
Containers
In the second quarter of 2018, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.98 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 7.3% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 7.9% and 3.8% to 4.22 million TEUs and 0.76 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 7.3% and 8.6% to 2.22 million TEUs and 2.00 million TEUs respectively.
For the first half of 2018, the port of Hong Kong handled 9.87 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 3.7% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 5.1% to 8.36 million TEUs, while empty containers increased by 4.4% to 1.50 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 4.9% and 5.3% to 4.35 million TEUs and 4.02 million TEUs respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 7.5% in the second quarter of 2018. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 7.3% and 7.8% respectively.
In the second quarter of 2018, seaborne laden containers decreased by 11.1% compared with a year earlier to 3.01 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 1.3% to 1.21 million TEUs.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 7.7% and 7.1% in the second quarter of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 0.66 million TEUs and 1.56 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 8.8% and 8.5% to 0.56 million TEUs and 1.45 million TEUs respectively.
In the first half of 2018, seaborne laden containers decreased by 8.5% compared with a year earlier to 5.93 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 4.5% to 2.43 million TEUs.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 5.4% and 4.7% in the first half of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 1.29 million TEUs and 3.05 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 6.1% and 4.9% to 1.11 million TEUs and 2.91 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 second quarter of 2018 with the second quarter of 2017, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 4.6% to 6 495, with the total capacity also decreasing by 5.1% to 102.1 million net registered tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 5.2% to 38 056, with the total capacity also decreasing by 11.4% to 27.1 million net registered tons.
Comparing the first half of 2018 with the first half of 2017, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 5.0% to 12 756, with the total capacity also decreasing by 4.8% to 201.1 million net registered tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 3.7% to 76 016, with the total capacity also decreasing by 7.5% to 55.7 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 are published in the report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics, Second Quarter 2018". 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).
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/Thursday, September 6, 2018
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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