The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (September 2) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the second quarter of 2022.
 
     In the second quarter of 2022, total port cargo throughput decreased by 5.0% compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 52.3 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 4.9% and 5.2% compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 32.6 million tonnes and 19.7 million tonnes respectively.
 
     For the first half of 2022, total port cargo throughput decreased by 9.1% compared with the first half of 2021 to 94.7 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 9.0% and 9.4% compared with the first half of 2021 to 60.3 million tonnes and 34.4 million tonnes respectively.
 
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 11.8% in the second quarter of 2022. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo increased by 7.0% and 20.7% 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 cargo decreased by 9.4% in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 34.7 million tonnes, while river cargo increased by 5.2% in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 17.6 million tonnes.
 
     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 8.9% and 0.7% in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 15.9 million tonnes and 16.7 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 15.7% and 1.7% in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 4.4 million tonnes and 15.3 million tonnes respectively.
 
     Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 9.2% and 9.0% in the first half of 2022 compared with the first half of 2021 to 65.8 million tonnes and 28.9 million tonnes respectively.
 
     Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 14.1% and 3.1% in the first half of 2022 compared with the first half of 2021 to 30.5 million tonnes and 29.8 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 19.5% and 6.1% in the first half of 2022 compared with the first half of 2021 to 7.5 million tonnes and 26.9 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 2022 with the second quarter of 2021, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (+17.5%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the United States of America (-27.2%), Thailand (-24.6%), Malaysia (-17.1%), Taiwan (-14.6%) and Japan (-14.3%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Thailand (+25.4%) and Taiwan (+13.5%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the United States of America (-24.8%), Japan (-20.6%), Vietnam (-19.7%) and Korea (-18.7%).
 
     Comparing the first half of 2022 with the first half of 2021, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (+20.1%) and Korea (+15.5%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the United States of America (-22.2%), Thailand (-14.4%) and the mainland of China (-10.8%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Thailand (+13.6%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Vietnam (-23.9%), the United States of America (-20.8%), Japan (-20.3%) and Korea (-16.7%).
 
     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 2022 with the second quarter of 2021, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "coal, coke and briquettes" (-21.4%), "stone, sand and gravel" (-19.8%), "iron and steel" (-16.1%), "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (-11.4%) and "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-10.8%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "cereals and cereal preparations" (+43.8%), "pulp and waste paper" (+12.9%), "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+12.2%) and "machinery" (-16.4%).
 
     Comparing the first half of 2022 with the first half of 2021, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "coal, coke and briquettes" (-24.5%), "stone, sand and gravel" (-24.2%), "iron and steel" (-19.7%) and "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-12.9%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "cereals and cereal preparations" (+19.2%), "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+10.3%) and "machinery" (-16.5%).
 
Containers
 
     In the second quarter of 2022, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.72 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 2.8% compared with the second quarter of 2021. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 1.7% to 3.77 million TEUs, while empty containers increased by 25.8% to 0.95 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 2.8% to 2.08 million TEUs, while outward containers decreased by 6.8% to 1.69 million TEUs.
 
     For the first half of 2022, the port of Hong Kong handled 8.43 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 3.2% compared with the first half of 2021. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 6.0% to 6.77 million TEUs, while empty containers increased by 10.1% to 1.66 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 2.5% and 9.8% to 3.70 million TEUs and 3.07 million TEUs respectively.
 
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 14.7% in the second quarter of 2022. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers increased by 15.5% and 13.8% respectively.
 
     In the second quarter of 2022, seaborne laden containers decreased by 11.1% compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 2.56 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 26.5% to 1.21 million TEUs.
 
     Within inward laden containers, imports increased by 20.2% in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 0.65 million TEUs, while inward transhipment decreased by 3.4% in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 1.44 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 12.7% and 5.2% in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the second quarter of 2021 to 0.35 million TEUs and 1.34 million TEUs respectively.
 
     In the first half of 2022, seaborne laden containers decreased by 11.3% compared with the first half of 2021 to 4.88 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 11.1% to 1.89 million TEUs.
 
     Within inward laden containers, imports increased by 8.2% in the first half of 2022 compared with the first half of 2021 to 1.14 million TEUs, while inward transhipment decreased by 6.6% in the first half of 2022 compared with the first half of 2021 to 2.57 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 13.9% and 8.6% in the first half of 2022 compared with the first half of 2021 to 0.68 million TEUs and 2.39 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 2022 with the second quarter of 2021, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 0.5% to 4 284, with the total capacity remaining virtually unchanged at 60.2 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 16.8% to 14 183, with the total capacity also increasing by 31.8% to 18.0 million net tons.
 
     Comparing the first half of 2022 with the first half of 2021, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 4.4% to 7 760, with the total capacity also decreasing by 4.2% to 113.9 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 4.7% to 23 410, with the total capacity also increasing by 18.4% to 30.4 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, Second 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/Friday, September 2, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:30

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