The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (December 6) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2018.

     In the third quarter of 2018, total port cargo throughput decreased by 13.0% compared with a year earlier to 61.7 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 15.4% and 9.0% compared with a year earlier to 37.3 million tonnes and 24.4 million tonnes respectively.

     For the first nine months of 2018, total port cargo throughput decreased by 6.4% compared with a year earlier to 193.5 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 6.6% and 6.2% compared with a year earlier to 119.5 million tonnes and 73.9 million tonnes respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 6.7% in the third quarter of 2018. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 9.7% and 1.7% 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 decreased by 8.1% and 21.0% in the third quarter of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 40.5 million tonnes and 21.2 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 18.6% and 11.0% in the third quarter of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 20.8 million tonnes and 16.5 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 10.7% and 8.1% compared with a year earlier to 8.3 million tonnes and 16.1 million tonnes respectively.

     Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 7.3% and 4.9% in the first nine months of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 123.4 million tonnes and 70.1 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 5.4% and 8.2% in the first nine months of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 68.7 million tonnes and 50.8 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 6.9% and 5.9% compared with a year earlier to 25.5 million tonnes and 48.5 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 2018 with the third quarter of 2017, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (+17.1%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the United States of America (-32.7%), Japan (-28.9%), Korea (-26.1%), the mainland of China (-18.3%), Singapore (-13.7%) and Taiwan (-11.4%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the Philippines (+29.7%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (-40.7%), Taiwan (-37.3%), Malaysia (-22.7%), Korea (-20.3%), Thailand (-15.0%) and Japan (-12.5%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2018 with the first nine months of 2017, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Malaysia (+12.5%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Japan (-20.4%), Singapore (-20.0%), the United States of America (-14.3%) and Korea (-13.9%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the Philippines (+10.4%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (-54.6%), Korea (-17.5%), Thailand (-16.0%), Taiwan (-13.7%) and Malaysia (-12.3%).

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

     Comparing the third quarter of 2018 with the third quarter of 2017, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (-37.5%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-14.1%), "machinery" (-13.5%) and "coal, coke and briquettes" (-11.7%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (-39.1%), "pulp and waste paper" (-21.5%) and "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-13.4%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2018 with the first nine months of 2017, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-12.4%) and "stone, sand and gravel" (-11.4%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (-27.4%) and "pulp and waste paper" (-10.5%).

Containers

     In the third quarter of 2018, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.77 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 10.1% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 7.7% and 23.2% to 4.14 million TEUs and 0.63 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 7.5% and 7.9% to 2.12 million TEUs and 2.02 million TEUs respectively.

     For the first nine months of 2018, the port of Hong Kong handled 14.64 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 5.9% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 6.0% and 5.6% to 12.50 million TEUs and 2.13 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 5.8% and 6.2% to 6.47 million TEUs and 6.04 million TEUs respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 2.5% in the third quarter of 2018. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 2.9% and 2.0% respectively.

     In the third quarter of 2018, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 6.7% and 10.3% compared with a year earlier to 2.99 million TEUs and 1.15 million TEUs respectively.

     Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 4.2% and 8.9% in the third quarter of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 0.64 million TEUs and 1.49 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 10.8% and 6.8% to 0.57 million TEUs and 1.45 million TEUs respectively.

     In the first nine months of 2018, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 7.9% and 0.7% compared with a year earlier to 8.92 million TEUs and 3.58 million TEUs respectively.

     Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 5.0% and 6.1% in the first nine months of 2018 compared with a year earlier to 1.93 million TEUs and 4.54 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 7.7% and 5.6% to 1.68 million TEUs and 4.35 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 2018 with the third quarter of 2017, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 8.2% to 6 227, with the total capacity also decreasing by 9.4% to 97.5 million net registered tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 7.5% to 36 187, with the total capacity also decreasing by 10.3% to 26.4 million net registered tons.

     Comparing the first nine months of 2018 with the first nine months of 2017, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 6.1% to 18 983, with the total capacity also decreasing by 6.4% to 298.6 million net registered tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 5.0% to 112 203, with the total capacity also decreasing by 8.4% to 82.0 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, Third 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, December 6, 2018
Issued at HKT 16:30

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