The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (June 3) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the first quarter of 2024.
 
     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).

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (June 5) at 11 am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, Shipping Legislation (Electronic Certificates and Electronic Documents)(Amendment) Bill 2024 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.

     On Members' motions, Mr Steven Ho will move a motion on empowering the development of agriculture and fisheries industries with new quality productive forces. The motion is set out in Appendix 1. Mr Yiu Pak-leung, Mr Lee Chun-keung and Ms Chan Yuet-ming will move separate amendments to Mr Ho's motion.

     Dr Dennis Lam will move a motion on actively building Hong Kong into Asia's health and medical innovation hub. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Mr Chan Pui-leung and Professor Chan Wing-kwong will move separate amendments to Dr Lam's motion.

     Mr Chan Kin-por will move a proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending subsidiary legislations. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 3.

     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.

     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.

     In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on May 31 to noon today (June 3), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 300 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category, in the past three days (including last Saturday and Sunday). No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
 
     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 150 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 56 105 samples of food imported from Japan (including 36 296 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 14 088 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, June 3, 2024 is 106.2 (same as last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, June 1, 2024 was 106.2 (same as last Friday's index).

     Police today (June 3) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Mong Kok.

     Wong Chi-fung, aged 41, went missing after he was last seen at Shek Kuk House, Shek Wai Kok Estate, Tsuen Wan on May 30 morning. His family made a report to Police on May 31.
         
     He is about 1.6 metres tall, 75 kilograms in weight and of fat build. He has a round face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a dark T-shirt, dark shorts, white sneakers and carrying a black rucksack.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1176 or 9689 6212 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.