The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the fourth quarter of 2016.

In the fourth quarter of 2016, total port cargo throughput increased by 26.8%compared with a year earlier to 71.0 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo increased by 26.3% and 27.5% compared with a year earlier to 42.2 million tonnes and 28.7 million tonnes respectively.

For 2016 as a whole, total port cargo throughput increased by 0.1% compared with a year earlier to 256.7 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo decreased by 1.3% compared with a year earlier to 150.8 million tonnes, while outward port cargo increased by 2.1% to 106.0 million tonnes.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 5.6% in the fourth quarter of 2016. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo increased by 7.4% and 3.0% 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 23.1% and 34.0% in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 45.5 million tonnes and 25.4 million tonnes respectively.

Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 27.9% and 24.6% in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 22.7 million tonnes and 19.5 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment increased by 58.8% and 13.3% compared with a year earlier to 11.2 million tonnes and 17.6 million tonnes respectively.

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo decreased by 2.7% in the whole year of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 164.1 million tonnes, while river cargo increased by 5.3% to 92.6 million tonnes.

Within inward port cargo, imports decreased by 2.8% in the whole year of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 83.0 million tonnes, while inward transhipment increased by 0.6% to 67.8 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports increased by 10.7% compared with a year earlier to 42.3 million tonnes, while outward transhipment decreased by 2.9% to 63.7 million tonnes.

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 fourth quarter of 2016 with the fourth quarter of 2015, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (+97.6%), the United States of America (+44.0%), Singapore (+41.2%), Taiwan (+35.1%), Korea (+26.9%), Thailand (+22.0%), the mainland of China (+20.9%) and Vietnam (+15.4%). For outward port cargo, triple-digit or double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+118.1%), Taiwan (+43.3%), the mainland of China (+40.5%), Korea (+23.6%), Thailand (+18.9%), Vietnam (+14.6%) and the United States of America (+14.3%).

Comparing the whole year of 2016 with the whole year of 2015, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (+57.7%) and Malaysia (+15.5%). On the other hand, a double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Japan (-14.1%). For outward port cargo, triple-digit or double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Macao (+145.7%) and Taiwan (+15.4%). On the other hand, a double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Malaysia (-17.1%).

The principal commodities of inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.

Comparing the fourth quarter of 2016 with the fourth quarter of 2015, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of “coal, coke and briquettes” (+87.6%), “artificial resins and plastic materials” (+39.7%), “stone, sand and gravel” (+35.8%), “machinery” (+29.4%), “petroleum, petroleum products and related materials” (+22.6%) as well as “bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials” (-16.2%).

As for outward port cargo, triple-digit or double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of “stone, sand and gravel” (+200.4%), “logs and timber; wood, simply worked” (+44.2%), “artificial resins and plastic materials” (+29.1%) as well as “metalliferous ores and metal scrap” (+16.5%).

Comparing the whole year of 2016 with the whole year of 2015, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of “coal, coke and briquettes” (+68.7%) as well as “stone, sand and gravel” (-27.5%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of “stone, sand and gravel” (+30.2%) and “logs and timber; wood, simply worked” (+24.8%).

Containers

In the fourth quarter of 2016, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.48 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 17.7% compared with a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers increased by 19.6% and 7.4% to 4.72 million TEUs and 0.76 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers increased by 24.0% and 15.0% to 2.48 million TEUs and 2.24 million TEUs respectively.

For 2016 as a whole, the port of Hong Kong handled 19.81 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 1.3% compared with a year earlier.

Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 0.8% and 4.4% to 16.98 million TEUs and 2.83 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 1.7% to 8.81 million TEUs, while outward containers dropped by 3.3% to 8.17 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 11.7% in the fourth quarter of 2016. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers increased by 12.5% and 11.0% respectively.

In the fourth quarter of 2016, seaborne and river laden containers increased by 21.2% and 15.6% compared with a year earlier to 3.38 million TEUs and 1.34 million TEUs respectively.

Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment increased by 20.2% and 25.8% in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 0.76 million TEUs and 1.72 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment increased by 16.5% and 14.4% to 0.68 million TEUs and 1.56 million TEUs respectively.

In the whole year of 2016, seaborne laden containers decreased by 1.5% compared with a year earlier to 12.12 million TEUs, while river laden containers increased by 1.1% to 4.86 million TEUs.

Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment increased by 1.9% and 1.6% in the whole year of 2016 compared with a year earlier to 2.80 million TEUs and 6.01 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 3.4% and 3.2% to 2.48 million TEUs and 5.69 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 fourth quarter of 2016 with the fourth quarter of 2015, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 2.9% to 6 819, while the total capacity increased by 4.5% to 105.6 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals increased by 4.3% to 40 278, with the total capacity also increasing by 15.4% to 29.4 million net registered tons.

Comparing the whole year of 2016 with the whole year of 2015, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 4.7% to 27 642, with the total capacity also decreasing by 0.6% to 409.5 million net registered tons. The number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 0.7% to 157 369, while the total capacity increased by 8.1% to 112.2 million net registered 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.

Source: HKSAR (Hong Kong Government)