The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (December 5) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2019.

     In the third quarter of 2019, total port cargo throughput increased by 8.9% compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 67.2 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo increased by 17.1% compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 43.7 million tonnes, while outward port cargo decreased by 3.7% compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 23.5 million tonnes.

     For the first nine months of 2019, total port cargo throughput increased by 1.1% compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 195.5 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo increased by 4.7% compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 125.2 million tonnes, while outward port cargo decreased by 4.8% compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 70.4 million tonnes.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 2.4% in the third quarter of 2019. Within this total, inward port cargo increased marginally by 0.1% compared with the preceding quarter, while outward port cargo decreased by 6.8% 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 1.7% in the third quarter of 2019 compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 39.8 million tonnes, while river cargo increased by 29.0% in the third quarter of 2019 compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 27.4 million tonnes.

     Within inward port cargo, imports increased by 33.0% in the third quarter of 2019 compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 27.7 million tonnes, while inward transhipment decreased by 2.9% in the third quarter of 2019 compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 16.1 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 1.9% and 4.7% in the third quarter of 2019 compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 8.2 million tonnes and 15.3 million tonnes respectively.

     Within port cargo, seaborne cargo decreased by 3.2% in the first nine months of 2019 compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 119.4 million tonnes, while river cargo increased by 8.5% in the first nine months of 2019 compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 76.1 million tonnes.

     Within inward port cargo, imports increased by 12.6% in the first nine months of 2019 compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 77.4 million tonnes, while inward transhipment decreased by 6.0% in the first nine months of 2019 compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 47.8 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 4.5% and 5.0% in the first nine months of 2019 compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 24.3 million tonnes and 46.1 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 2019 with the third quarter of 2018, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Taiwan (+97.1%), the mainland of China (+28.1%), Malaysia (+17.2%) and Vietnam (+15.2%). On the other hand, double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (-45.2%). For outward port cargo, triple-digit or double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+329.1%) and Taiwan (+10.5%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Korea (-28.0%), Vietnam (-26.5%), the United States of America (-23.2%) and Japan (-10.2%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2019 with the first nine months of 2018, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Taiwan (+41.3%) and Malaysia (+15.4%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (-28.6%), Japan (-18.4%) and the United States of America (-17.2%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+95.1%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Vietnam (-20.0%), the United States of America (-11.7%), Korea (-11.5%) and Taiwan (-10.7%).

     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 2019 with the third quarter of 2018, triple-digit or double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (+144.7%) and "coal, coke and briquettes" (-29.3%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+14.0%) and "pulp and waste paper" (-12.7%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2019 with the first nine months of 2018, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (+70.0%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-19.6%) and "coal, coke and briquettes" (-28.4%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of "pulp and waste paper" (-19.7%) and "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-13.7%).

Containers

     In the third quarter of 2019, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.62 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 3.2% compared with the third quarter of 2018. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 4.7% to 3.95 million TEUs, while empty containers increased by 6.8% to 0.67 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 4.3% and 5.1% to 2.03 million TEUs and 1.92 million TEUs respectively.

     For the first nine months of 2019, the port of Hong Kong handled 13.71 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 6.3% compared with the first nine months of 2018. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 6.1% and 7.4% to 11.74 million TEUs and 1.97 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 5.7% and 6.5% to 6.10 million TEUs and 5.64 million TEUs respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 2.0% in the third quarter of 2019. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 2.2% and 1.9% respectively.

     In the third quarter of 2019, seaborne laden containers decreased by 7.5% compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 2.77 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 2.6% to 1.18 million TEUs.

     Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 1.4% and 5.6% in the third quarter of 2019 compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 0.63 million TEUs and 1.40 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 1.8% and 6.4% in the third quarter of 2019 compared with the third quarter of 2018 to 0.56 million TEUs and 1.36 million TEUs respectively.

     In the first nine months of 2019, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 7.7% and 2.2% compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 8.24 million TEUs and 3.50 million TEUs respectively.

     Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 3.1% and 6.9% in the first nine months of 2019 compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 1.87 million TEUs and 4.23 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 7.7% and 6.1% in the first nine months of 2019 compared with the first nine months of 2018 to 1.55 million TEUs and 4.09 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 2019 with the third quarter of 2018, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 2.7% to 6 395, with the total capacity also increasing by 2.5% to 100.0 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 6.7% to 33 752, while the total capacity increased by 11.1% to 29.3 million net tons.

     Comparing the first nine months of 2019 with the first nine months of 2018, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 1.3% to 18 742, with the total capacity also decreasing by 1.4% to 294.4 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 8.0% to 103 185, while the total capacity increased by 4.5% to 85.7 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, Third Quarter 2019". 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 3662 or email: st-sec@mardep.gov.hk).

Ends/Thursday, December 5, 2019
Issued at HKT 16:30

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