Hong Kong Census And Statistics Department Publishes Q1 Port Statistics

by Mary Swire, for LawAndTax-News.com, Hong Kong

08 June 2007

The Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) on Thursday released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the first quarter of 2007.

In Q1 2007, total port cargo throughput decreased by 2% over a year earlier to 54.9 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo decreased by 7% over a year earlier to 32.4 million tonnes, while outward port cargo rose by 6% to 22.5 million tonnes.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 5% in the first quarter of 2007. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 9% and 1% respectively.

The C&SD went on to reveal that within port cargo, seaborne cargo increased by 1% over a year earlier to 39.3 million tonnes, while river cargo decreased by 9% to 15.7 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2007.

Comparing the first quarter of 2007 with the first quarter of 2006, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Australia (+16%), Malaysia (+12%) and Singapore (+10%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (-49%) and Thailand (-15%).

Over the same period, substantial increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo for discharge in Vietnam (+101%), the Philippines (+50%), the Netherlands (+41%), Malaysia (+39%), Thailand (+24%), Japan (+19%) and Germany (+15%). On the other hand, a double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the United States (-19%).

In the first quarter of 2007, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.4 million TEUs (Twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers, recorded virtually no change over a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers rose by 1% to 4.5 million TEUs, while empty containers decreased by 5% to 0.9 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers decreased by 2% over a year earlier to 2.2 million TEUs, while outward containers grew by 5% to 2.3 million TEUs.

In the first quarter of 2007, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 2% over a year earlier to 9 520, with the total capacity increasing by 5% to 87.8 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 3% to 46 130, with the total capacity increasing by 1% to 27.3 million net registered tons.

Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters or authorised shipping agents. Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.

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