The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (September 5) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the second quarter of 2019.
In the second quarter of 2019, total port cargo throughput increased by 4.8% compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 69.3 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo increased by 6.9% and 1.4% compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 44.5 million tonnes and 24.8 million tonnes respectively.
For the first half of 2019, total port cargo throughput decreased by 2.6% compared with the first half of 2018 to 128.4 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 0.9% and 5.4% compared with the first half of 2018 to 81.5 million tonnes and 46.9 million tonnes respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 10.0% in the second quarter of 2019. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo increased by 11.9% and 6.8% 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 and river cargo increased by 0.1% and 13.3% in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 42.3 million tonnes and 27.0 million tonnes respectively.
Within inward port cargo, imports increased by 16.6% in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 27.9 million tonnes, while inward transhipment decreased by 6.3% in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 16.5 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) increased by 8.6% in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 9.0 million tonnes, while outward transhipment decreased by 2.3% in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 15.8 million tonnes.
Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 3.9% and 0.4% in the first half of 2019 compared with the first half of 2018 to 79.6 million tonnes and 48.7 million tonnes respectively.
Within inward port cargo, imports increased by 3.8% in the first half of 2019 compared with the first half of 2018 to 49.7 million tonnes, while inward transhipment decreased by 7.6% in the first half of 2019 compared with the first half of 2018 to 31.7 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 5.8% and 5.1% in the first half of 2019 compared with the first half of 2018 to 16.2 million tonnes and 30.8 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 second quarter of 2019 with the second quarter of 2018, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Taiwan (+46.9%), Malaysia (+28.9%) and the mainland of China (+11.8%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the United States of America (-26.5%), Japan (-20.4%), Korea (-14.3%) and Singapore (-11.0%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+79.2%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Vietnam (-18.5%) and Malaysia (-10.8%).
Comparing the first half of 2019 with the first half of 2018, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Taiwan (+16.2%) and Malaysia (+14.5%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Japan (-23.4%), the United States of America (-22.0%), Indonesia (-19.8%) and Korea (-13.1%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+19.5%) and the Philippines (+10.0%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Taiwan (-18.2%) and Vietnam (-16.8%).
The principal commodities of inward port cargo and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.
Comparing the second quarter of 2019 with the second quarter of 2018, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (+79.8%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-15.1%) and "coal, coke and briquettes" (-21.4%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (+33.7%), "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+20.2%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-12.5%) and "pulp and waste paper" (-22.1%).
Comparing the first half of 2019 with the first half of 2018, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (+42.3%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-25.7%) and "coal, coke and briquettes" (-28.0%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of "pulp and waste paper" (-23.0%) and "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-20.1%).
Containers
In the second quarter of 2019, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.67 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 6.2% compared with the second quarter of 2018. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 4.6% and 15.2% to 4.03 million TEUs and 0.64 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, both inward and outward containers decreased by 4.6% to 2.12 million TEUs and 1.91 million TEUs respectively.
For the first half of 2019, the port of Hong Kong handled 9.10 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 7.8% compared with the first half of 2018. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 6.8% and 13.3% to 7.79 million TEUs and 1.30 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 6.4% and 7.3% to 4.07 million TEUs and 3.73 million TEUs respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 1.6% in the second quarter of 2019. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 2.1% and 1.1% respectively.
In the second quarter of 2019, seaborne laden containers decreased by 6.5% compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 2.82 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 0.3% to 1.21 million TEUs.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 0.6% and 6.3% in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 0.66 million TEUs and 1.47 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 6.7% and 3.7% in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the second quarter of 2018 to 0.52 million TEUs and 1.39 million TEUs respectively.
In the first half of 2019, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 7.8% and 4.5% compared with the first half of 2018 to 5.47 million TEUs and 2.32 million TEUs respectively.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 3.9% and 7.5% in the first half of 2019 compared with the first half of 2018 to 1.24 million TEUs and 2.82 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 10.7% and 6.0% in the first half of 2019 compared with the first half of 2018 to 0.99 million TEUs and 2.73 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 second quarter of 2019 with the second quarter of 2018, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 2.8% to 6 310, with the total capacity also decreasing by 3.3% to 98.7 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 8.0% to 35 016, while the total capacity increased by 6.9% to 29.0 million net tons.
Comparing the first half of 2019 with the first half of 2018, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 3.2% to 12 347, with the total capacity also decreasing by 3.3% to 194.5 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 8.7% to 69 433, while the total capacity increased by 1.4% to 56.4 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, Second 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 3661 or email: st-sec@mardep.gov.hk).
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