Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2020

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (December 3) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2020.

     In the third quarter of 2020, total port cargo throughput decreased by 5.7% compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 63.3 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 1.8% and 13.0% compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 42.9 million tonnes and 20.4 million tonnes respectively.

     For the first nine months of 2020, total port cargo throughput decreased by 3.9% compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 187.9 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo increased by 3.5% compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 129.6 million tonnes, while outward port cargo decreased by 17.1% compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 58.4 million tonnes.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 3.7% in the third quarter of 2020. Within this total, inward port cargo decreased by 6.2% compared with the preceding quarter, while outward port cargo increased by 2.3% 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 decreased by 6.0% and 5.4% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 37.4 million tonnes and 25.9 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, imports decreased by 5.5% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 26.1 million tonnes, while inward transhipment increased by 4.4% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 16.8 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) decreased by 40.2% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 4.9 million tonnes, while outward transhipment increased by 1.5% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 15.5 million tonnes.

     Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 5.9% and 0.7% in the first nine months of 2020 compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 112.3 million tonnes and 75.6 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, imports increased by 6.2% in the first nine months of 2020 compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 82.2 million tonnes, while inward transhipment decreased by 0.7% in the first nine months of 2020 compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 47.4 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 42.8% and 3.5% in the first nine months of 2020 compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 13.9 million tonnes and 44.5 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 2020 with the third quarter of 2019, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Korea (+10.9%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the United States of America (-31.4%), Singapore (-20.1%) and Thailand (-11.1%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Korea (+13.1%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (-33.9%), Thailand (-21.6%), Malaysia (-16.4%), Vietnam (-15.5%), the United States of America (-14.6%), the mainland of China (-12.9%) and Japan (-11.4%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2020 with the first nine months of 2019, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Taiwan (+70.7%), the mainland of China (+11.9%) and Vietnam (+10.0%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (-27.3%), the United States of America (-23.9%) and Singapore (-22.9%). For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Malaysia (-23.5%), Vietnam (-22.0%), the United States of America (-19.7%), the mainland of China (-19.6%) and Japan (-18.0%).

     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 2020 with the third quarter of 2019, double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (-29.7%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (-75.1%) and "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (-17.3%).

     Comparing the first nine months of 2020 with the first nine months of 2019, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel" (+31.9%) and "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (-26.6%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (-74.3%) and "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (-20.5%).

Containers

     In the third quarter of 2020, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.70 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 1.8% compared with the third quarter of 2019. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 0.4% to 3.93 million TEUs, while empty containers increased by 14.5% to 0.77 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 2.1% to 2.07 million TEUs, while outward containers decreased by 3.1% to 1.86 million TEUs.

     For the first nine months of 2020, the port of Hong Kong handled 13.31 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 3.0% compared with the first nine months of 2019. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 5.6% to 11.08 million TEUs, while empty containers increased by 12.7% to 2.23 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 3.7% and 7.7% to 5.88 million TEUs and 5.21 million TEUs respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 5.9% in the third quarter of 2020. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers increased by 6.1% and 5.7% respectively.

     In the third quarter of 2020, seaborne laden containers decreased by 3.2% compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 2.68 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 6.1% to 1.25 million TEUs.

     Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 9.8% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 0.57 million TEUs, while inward transhipment increased by 7.4% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 1.51 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports decreased by 17.9% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 0.46 million TEUs, while outward transhipment increased by 3.1% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with the third quarter of 2019 to 1.40 million TEUs.

     In the first nine months of 2020, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 7.5% and 1.2% compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 7.62 million TEUs and 3.46 million TEUs respectively.

     Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 10.7% and 0.5% in the first nine months of 2020 compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 1.67 million TEUs and 4.21 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 18.2% and 3.7% in the first nine months of 2020 compared with the first nine months of 2019 to 1.27 million TEUs and 3.94 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 2020 with the third quarter of 2019, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 15.9% to 5 379, with the total capacity also decreasing by 9.4% to 90.5 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 54.1% to 15 477, with the total capacity also decreasing by 30.2% to 20.4 million net tons.

     Comparing the first nine months of 2020 with the first nine months of 2019, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 5.2% to 17 762, with the total capacity also decreasing by 3.3% to 284.7 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 50.1% to 51 482, with the total capacity also decreasing by 18.3% to 70.0 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 2020". 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).