Hong Kong releases statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for Q2 of 2023
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In the second quarter of 2023, total port cargo throughput decreased by 14.9% compared with the second quarter of 2022 to 44.5 million tonnes.
Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 13.1% and 17.8% compared with the second quarter of 2022 to 28.3 million tonnes and 16.2 million tonnes respectively.
For the first half of 2023, total port cargo throughput decreased by 9.5% compared with the first half of 2022 to 85.7 million tonnes.
Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 9.5% and 9.3% compared with the first half of 2022 to 54.5 million tonnes and 31.2 million tonnes respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 4.0% in the second quarter of 2023. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 4.6% and 2.9% respectively compared with the preceding quarter.
Port cargo
Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 13.0% and 18.5% in the second quarter of 2023 compared with the second quarter of 2022 to 30.2 million tonnes and 14.4 million tonnes respectively.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 6.6% and 19.3% in the second quarter of 2023 compared with the second quarter of 2022 to 14.9 million tonnes and 13.5 million tonnes respectively.
For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 18.8% and 17.5% in the second quarter of 2023 compared with the second quarter of 2022 to 3.5 million tonnes and 12.6 million tonnes respectively.
Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 12.7% and 2.1% in the first half of 2023 compared with the first half of 2022 to 57.5 million tonnes and 28.3 million tonnes respectively.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 6.5% and 12.6% in the first half of 2023 compared with the first half of 2022 to 28.5 million tonnes and 26.0 million tonnes respectively.
For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 7.1% and 10.0% in the first half of 2023 compared with the first half of 2022 to 7.0 million tonnes and 24.2 million tonnes respectively.
Comparing the second quarter of 2023 with the second quarter of 2022, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Malaysia (+16.4%).
On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (-35.8%), Japan (-22.8%), Taiwan (-21.7%), the mainland of China (-14.9%) and Korea (-13.0%).
For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the United States of America (-40.1%), Taiwan (-31.0%), Australia (-27.2%), Vietnam (-25.0%), Japan (-22.0%), the mainland of China (-17.3%), Malaysia (-15.6%) and Korea (-14.5%).
Comparing the first half of 2023 with the first half of 2022, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (-33.3%), Taiwan (-32.4%), Japan (-23.1%), Korea (-18.9%) and Thailand (-10.5%).
For outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the United States of America (-36.4%), Taiwan (-32.2%), Australia (-22.6%), Japan (-21.2%), Vietnam (-17.9%), Korea (-15.9%) and Malaysia (-12.2%).
Comparing the second quarter of 2023 with the second quarter of 2022, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (+44.5%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-19.4%) and "machinery" (-25.5%).
As for outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-29.8%), "stone, sand and gravel" (-22.2%), "machinery" (-19.6%), "pulp and waste paper" (-19.5%) and "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (-13.2%).
Comparing the first half of 2023 with the first half of 2022, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (+29.4%), "stone, sand and gravel" (-10.6%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-11.7%) and "machinery" (-16.3%).
As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (+40.5%), "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+10.2%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-10.8%) and "machinery" (-18.9%).
Containers
In the second quarter of 2023, the port of Hong Kong handled 3.69 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 21.9% compared with the second quarter of 2022. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 22.9% and 17.8% to 2.90 million TEUs and 0.78 million TEUs respectively.
Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 24.9% and 20.5% to 1.56 million TEUs and 1.34 million TEUs respectively.
For the first half of 2023, the port of Hong Kong handled 7.12 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 15.5% compared with the first half of 2022. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 16.9% and 9.8% to 5.63 million TEUs and 1.49 million TEUs respectively.
Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 18.5% and 15.0% to 3.02 million TEUs and 2.61 million TEUs respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 4.4% in the second quarter of 2023. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 5.9% and 2.5% respectively.
In the second quarter of 2023, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 18.3% and 32.8% compared with the second quarter of 2022 to 2.09 million TEUs and 0.81 million TEUs respectively.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 33.9% and 20.9% in the second quarter of 2023 compared with the second quarter of 2022 to 0.43 million TEUs and 1.14 million TEUs respectively.
For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 22.6% and 19.9% in the second quarter of 2023 compared with the second quarter of 2022 to 0.27 million TEUs and 1.07 million TEUs respectively.
In the first half of 2023, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 17.6% and 15.0% compared with the first half of 2022 to 4.02 million TEUs and 1.61 million TEUs respectively.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 27.5% and 14.4% in the first half of 2023 compared with the first half of 2022 to 0.83 million TEUs and 2.20 million TEUs respectively.
For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 20.6% and 13.4% in the first half of 2023 compared with the first half of 2022 to 0.54 million TEUs and 2.07 million TEUs respectively.
Vessel arrivals
Comparing the second quarter of 2023 with the second quarter of 2022, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 11.7% to 4 785, with the total capacity also increasing by 28.0% to 77.1 million net tons.
Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 30.1% to 18 456, with the total capacity also increasing by 1.8% to 18.4 million net tons.
Comparing the first half of 2023 with the first half of 2022, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 20.0% to 9 311, with the total capacity also increasing by 29.8% to 147.9 million net tons.
Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 41.6% to 33 160, with the total capacity also increasing by 17.5% to 35.7 million net tons. ■