Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the fourth quarter of 2022
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In the fourth quarter of 2022, total port cargo throughput decreased by 11.0% compared with the fourth quarter of 2021 to 48.1 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 11.7% and 9.9% compared with the fourth quarter of 2021 to 30.1 million tonnes and 18.0 million tonnes respectively.
For 2022 as a whole, total port cargo throughput decreased by 10.1% compared with the whole year of 2021 to 192.1 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 10.3% and 9.9% compared with the whole year of 2021 to 121.1 million tonnes and 71.0 million tonnes respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 3.5% in the fourth quarter of 2022. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 2.8% and 4.6% 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 18.4% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the fourth quarter of 2021 to 30.9 million tonnes, while river cargo increased by 6.1% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the fourth quarter of 2021 to 17.2 million tonnes.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 11.8% and 11.5% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the fourth quarter of 2021 to 15.4 million tonnes and 14.6 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 12.2% and 9.2% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the fourth quarter of 2021 to 4.2 million tonnes and 13.8 million tonnes respectively.
Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 12.9% and 3.7% in the whole year of 2022 compared with the whole year of 2021 to 130.0 million tonnes and 62.1 million tonnes respectively.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 13.4% and 6.8% in the whole year of 2022 compared with the whole year of 2021 to 61.4 million tonnes and 59.7 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 14.9% and 8.3% in the whole year of 2022 compared with the whole year of 2021 to 16.4 million tonnes and 54.7 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 fourth quarter of 2022 with the fourth quarter of 2021, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Korea (-42.8%), Taiwan (-41.7%), Singapore (-27.5%), Vietnam (-18.4%) and the United States of America (-16.1%). For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Australia (-37.9%), the United States of America (-35.5%), Taiwan (-30.4%), Japan (-24.1%), Vietnam (-19.9%) and Thailand (-13.6%).
Comparing the whole year of 2022 with the whole year of 2021, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the United States of America (-19.4%), Korea (-15.8%), Singapore (-15.3%), Taiwan (-15.3%) and Thailand (-11.6%). For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the United States of America (-31.8%), Australia (-21.9%), Vietnam (-19.7%), Japan (-19.5%) and Korea (-13.0%).
The principal commodities of inward port cargo and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.
Comparing the fourth quarter of 2022 with the fourth quarter of 2021, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (-20.4%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-13.9%), "stone, sand and gravel" (-13.2%) and "machinery" (-10.0%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (+18.5%) and "machinery" (-32.2%).
Comparing the whole year of 2022 with the whole year of 2021, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (-20.2%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-15.9%), "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (-14.8%) and "coal, coke and briquettes" (-13.8%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (-27.2%) and "machinery" (-23.2%).
Containers
In the fourth quarter of 2022, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.05 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 9.0% compared with the fourth quarter of 2021. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 14.7% to 3.19 million TEUs, while empty containers increased by 20.7% to 0.86 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 11.7% and 18.0% to 1.72 million TEUs and 1.46 million TEUs respectively.
For 2022 as a whole, the port of Hong Kong handled 16.69 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 6.3% compared with the whole year of 2021. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 10.5% to 13.32 million TEUs, while empty containers increased by 15.5% to 3.37 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 6.6% and 14.7% to 7.25 million TEUs and 6.07 million TEUs respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 4.6% in the fourth quarter of 2022. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 6.1% and 2.9% respectively.
In the fourth quarter of 2022, seaborne laden containers decreased by 22.0% compared with the fourth quarter of 2021 to 2.16 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 6.1% to 1.03 million TEUs.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 7.7% and 13.2% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the fourth quarter of 2021 to 0.50 million TEUs and 1.22 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 29.9% and 14.2% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the fourth quarter of 2021 to 0.30 million TEUs and 1.16 million TEUs respectively.
In the whole year of 2022, seaborne laden containers decreased by 16.1% compared with the whole year of 2021 to 9.37 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 6.2% to 3.95 million TEUs.
Within inward laden containers, imports increased by 1.0% in the whole year of 2022 compared with the whole year of 2021 to 2.18 million TEUs, while inward transhipment decreased by 9.6% in the whole year of 2022 compared with the whole year of 2021 to 5.07 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 23.8% and 11.8% in the whole year of 2022 compared with the whole year of 2021 to 1.32 million TEUs and 4.76 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 fourth quarter of 2022 with the fourth quarter of 2021, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 15.2% to 4 613, with the total capacity also increasing by 5.8% to 67.2 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 10.7% to 12 996, with the total capacity also increasing by 15.1% to 18.1 million net tons.
Comparing the whole year of 2022 with the whole year of 2021, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 2.9% to 16 735, while the total capacity decreased by 0.8% to 243.2 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 8.3% to 50 055, with the total capacity also increasing by 15.3% to 65.8 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, Fourth 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, March 2, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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