The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (June 2) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the first quarter of 2022.

     In the first quarter of 2022, total port cargo throughput decreased by 13.8% compared with the first quarter of 2021 to 42.4 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 13.4% and 14.5% compared with the first quarter of 2021 to 27.7 million tonnes and 14.7 million tonnes respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 12.1% in the first quarter of 2022. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 9.7% and 16.2% 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 decreased by 8.9% and 24.8% in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the first quarter of 2021 to 31.1 million tonnes and 11.3 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 19.1% and 6.0% in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the first quarter of 2021 to 14.6 million tonnes and 13.1 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 24.1% and 11.4% in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the first quarter of 2021 to 3.2 million tonnes and 11.6 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 2022 with the first quarter of 2021, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Korea (+43.0%), Taiwan (+29.3%) and Vietnam (+23.4%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the mainland of China (-23.3%), Indonesia (-17.3%) and the United States of America (-15.1%). For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Vietnam (-28.5%), Japan (-20.0%), the United States of America (-16.4%), Korea (-14.6%) and the mainland of China (-11.0%).

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

     Comparing the first quarter of 2022 with the first quarter of 2021, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (-28.0%), "iron and steel" (-23.7%), "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (-21.4%), "machinery" (-15.7%) and "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-15.1%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+13.9%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-14.7%), "machinery" (-16.7%), "pulp and waste paper" (-20.8%) and "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-23.6%).

Containers

     In the first quarter of 2022, the port of Hong Kong handled 3.71 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 9.9% compared with the first quarter of 2021. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 10.8% and 6.0% to 3.00 million TEUs and 0.70 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 8.6% and 13.3% to 1.62 million TEUs and 1.38 million TEUs respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 10.7% in the first quarter of 2022. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 6.7% and 15.0% respectively.

     In the first quarter of 2022, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 11.4% and 8.6% compared with the first quarter of 2021 to 2.32 million TEUs and 0.68 million TEUs respectively.

     Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 4.3% and 10.3% in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the first quarter of 2021 to 0.49 million TEUs and 1.13 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 15.0% and 12.7% in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the first quarter of 2021 to 0.33 million TEUs and 1.05 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 2022 with the first quarter of 2021, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 9.8% to 3 476, with the total capacity also decreasing by 8.4% to 53.7 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 9.6% to 9 227, while the total capacity increased by 3.1% to 12.3 million net 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, First Quarter 2022". Users can download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020008&scode=230).

     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 3662 or email: st-sec@mardep.gov.hk).

Ends/Thursday, June 2, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:30

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