Statistics on Vessels, Port Cargo and Container for the Third Quarter of 2009

For more information, please contact:
Melissa Ng / David Hsieh at 212-752-3320
Daniel McAtee at 202-238-6360
Wing Yan Tong at 415-835-9315

December 7, 2009 - Hong Kong’s Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2009.

In the third quarter of 2009, total port cargo throughput decreased by 4% over a year earlier to 64.4 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo dropped by 2% and 7% to 36.3 million tonnes and 28.1 million tonnes respectively.

For the first nine months of 2009, total port cargo throughput decreased by 10% over a year earlier to 178.3 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo dropped by 8% and 12% to 102.4 million tonnes and 75.9 million tonnes respectively.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 5% in the third quarter of 2009. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo went up by 4% and 6% respectively. 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 dropped by 7% compared to a year earlier to 43.1 million tonnes, while river cargo increased by 1% to 21.3 million tonnes in the third quarter of 2009.

Within inward port cargo, imports increased by 5% in the third quarter of 2009 over a year earlier to 19.5 million tonnes, while inward transhipment decreased by 9% to 16.8 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 8% and 6% over a year earlier to 10.3 million tonnes and 17.8 million tonnes respectively.

Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 14% and 1% in the first nine months of 2009 over a year earlier to 119.2 million tonnes and 59.1 million tonnes respectively.

Within inward port cargo, imports decreased by 3% in the first nine months of 2009 over a year earlier to 56.0 million tonnes, while inward transhipment dropped by 14% to 46.5 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 11% and 13% to 28.8 million tonnes and 47.0 million tonnes respectively.

Containers
In the third quarter of 2009, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.6 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 16% compared to a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 13% to 4.8 million TEUs, while empty containers dropped by 28% to 0.8 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers decreased by 13% to 2.3 million TEUs, while outward containers dropped by 13% to 2.5 million TEUs.

In the first nine months of 2009, the port of Hong Kong handled 15.5 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 17% over the same period in 2008. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 16% to 13.1 million TEUs, while empty containers dropped by 23% to 2.4 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers decreased by 15% to 6.5 million TEUs, while outward containers dropped by 17% to 6.6 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 4% in the third quarter of 2009. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers rose by 2% and 6% respectively.

Seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 14% and 10% in the third quarter of 2009 over a year earlier to 3.5 million TEUs and 1.3 million TEUs respectively.

Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 14% and 12% in the third quarter of 2009 over a year earlier to 0.8 million TEUs and 1.5 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 21% and 9% to 0.9 million TEUs and 1.6 million TEUs respectively.

In the first nine months of 2009, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 18% and 10% over the same period in 2008 to 9.4 million TEUs and 3.6 million TEUs respectively.

Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 14% and 15% in the first nine months of 2009 over a year earlier to 2.3 million TEUs and 4.1 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 22% and 14% to 2.3 million TEUs and 4.3 million TEUs respectively.

Vessel arrivals
In the third quarter of 2009, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 1% over a year earlier to 8,780, with the total capacity increasing by 1% to 94.3 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 4% to 43,920, with the total capacity increasing by 1% to 24.9 million net registered tons.

In the first nine months of 2009, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 10% over a year earlier to 24,620, with the total capacity decreasing by 2% to 283.8 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 7% over a year earlier to 128,400, with the total capacity decreasing by 2% to 72.3 million net registered tons.