Statistics on Vessels, Port Cargo and Containers
for the Fourth 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

March 8, 2010 - Hong Kong’s Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the fourth quarter of 2009.

In the fourth quarter of 2009, total port cargo throughput increased by 5% compared to a year earlier to 64.7 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 7% and 3% to 36.9 million tonnes and 27.8 million tonnes respectively.

For 2009 as a whole, total port cargo throughput decreased by 6% compared to a year earlier to 243.0 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo dropped by 5% and 9% to 139.3 million tonnes and 103.7 million tonnes respectively.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 1% in the fourth quarter of 2009. Within this total, inward port cargo went up by 2%, while outward port cargo decreased by 1%. 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 increased by 2% compared to a year earlier to 42.4 million tonnes, while river cargo rose by 13% to 22.3 million tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 9% and 5% in the fourth quarter of 2009 over a year earlier to 20.3 million tonnes and 16.6 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) decreased by 8% over a year earlier to 9.8 million tonnes, while outward transhipment increased by 11% to 18.0 million tonnes.

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo decreased by 10% in 2009 over 2008 to 161.6 million tonnes, while river cargo increased by 2% to 81.4 million tonnes.

Within inward port cargo, imports recorded virtually no change in 2009 over 2008 at 76.2 million tonnes, while inward transhipment dropped by 10% to 63.1 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 10% and 8% to 38.6 million tonnes and 65.0 million tonnes respectively.

Containers
In the fourth quarter of 2009, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.6 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 4% year-on-year. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 1% to 4.7 million TEUs, while empty containers dropped by 17% to 0.9 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers decreased by 1% to 2.3 million TEUs, while outward containers also decreased by 1% to 2.4 million TEUs.

In 2009, the port of Hong Kong handled 21.0 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 14% compared to 2008. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 13% to 17.7 million TEUs, while empty containers dropped by 21% to 3.3 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers decreased by 12% to 8.7 million TEUs, while outward containers dropped by 13% to 9.0 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 1% in the fourth quarter of 2009. Within this total, inward laden containers recorded virtually no change, while outward laden containers rose by 2%.

Seaborne laden containers decreased by 8% in the fourth quarter of 2009 over a year earlier to 3.3 million TEUs, while river laden containers rose by 22% to 1.4 million TEUs.

Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 1% in the fourth quarter of 2009 over a year earlier to 0.8 million TEUs, while inward transhipment recorded virtually no change at 1.4 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports decreased by 10% to 0.8 million TEUs, while outward transhipment increased by 4% to 1.6 million TEUs.

In 2009, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 16% and 3% over 2008 to 12.7 million TEUs and 5.1 million TEUs respectively. Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 11% and 12% in 2009 over 2008 to 3.1 million TEUs and 5.6 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 19% and 10% to 3.2 million TEUs and 5.9 million TEUs respectively.

Vessel arrivals
In the fourth quarter of 2009, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 1% compared to a year earlier to 8,530, with the total capacity decreasing by 3% to 93.9 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals recorded virtually no change at 43,950, with the total capacity increasing by 6% to 25.0 million net registered tons.

In 2009, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 8% over a year earlier to 33,160, with the total capacity decreasing by 2% to 377.8 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 5% over a year earlier to 172,350, with the total capacity recording virtually no change at 97.3 million net registered tons.