Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the first quarter of 2024
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In the first quarter of 2024, total port cargo throughput increased by 3.8% to 42.8 million tonnes over a year earlier. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo increased by 4.9% and 2.0% to 27.5 million tonnes and 15.3 million tonnes respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 10.4% in the first quarter of 2024. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo increased by 10.5% and 10.4% 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
In the first quarter of 2024, within port cargo, seaborne cargo decreased by 1.4% to 26.9 million tonnes over a year earlier, while river cargo increased by 14.2% to 15.9 million tonnes over a year earlier.
Comparing the first quarter of 2024 with a year earlier, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Singapore (+30.2%), Taiwan (+28.1%) and the mainland of China (+14.4%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the United States of America (-24.4%), Malaysia (-17.0%), Japan (-13.5%) and Indonesia (-12.5%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Australia (+31.2%) and Malaysia (+16.0%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Korea (-15.9%), the United States of America (-14.8%) and Japan (-12.6%).
Comparing the first quarter of 2024 with a year earlier, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (+30.3%) and "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (+15.8%). As for outward port cargo, triple-digit or double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (+107.2%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-10.5%), "pulp and waste paper" (-11.3%) and "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (-19.8%).
Containers
In the first quarter of 2024, the port of Hong Kong handled 3.32 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 3.2% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 2.1% and 7.3% to 2.67 million TEUs and 0.66 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 1.9% and 2.4% to 1.43 million TEUs and 1.24 million TEUs respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 6.6% in the first quarter of 2024. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers increased by 9.0% and 3.9% respectively.
In the first quarter of 2024, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 2.5% and 1.3% to 1.88 million TEUs and 0.78 million TEUs respectively over a year earlier.
Vessel arrivals
Comparing the first quarter of 2024 with a year earlier, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 0.6% to 4 555, with the total capacity also increasing by 3.9% to 73.6 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 35.6% to 19 935, with the total capacity also increasing by 8.6% to 18.8 million net tons.
Further information
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 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.
Table 1 presents the detailed port cargo statistics.
Table 2 and Table 3 respectively present the inward and outward port cargo statistics by main countries/territories of loading and discharge.
Table 4 and Table 5 respectively present the inward and outward port cargo statistics by principal commodities.
Table 6 presents the detailed container statistics.
Table 7 presents the statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong.
More detailed statistics on port cargo, containers and vessels are published in the report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics, First Quarter 2024". Users can browse and 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 Electronic Trading Services and Cargo 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/Monday, June 3, 2024
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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