In the first quarter of 2010, total port cargo throughput increased by 20% over a year earlier to 62.8 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 18% and 23% to 36.0 million tonnes and 26.7 million tonnes respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 3% in the first quarter of 2010. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo went up by 2% and 5% respectively. 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 cargo increased by 21% over a year earlier to 42.1 million tons, while river cargo also rose by 18% to 20.6 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2010.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 8% and 32% in the first quarter of 2010 over a year earlier to 18.6 million tonnes and 17.4 million tons respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment also increased by 8% and 33% over a year earlier to 9.5 million tons and 17.3 million tons respectively.
Comparing the first quarter of 2010 with the first quarter of 2009, increases were registered in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in most main countries/territories of loading, with the three most significant increases recorded for Vietnam (+49%), the United States of America (+35%) and the mainland of China (+27%). Over the same period, increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in all main countries/territories of discharge, with the three most significant increases recorded for Taiwan (+117%), Thailand (+108%) and Korea (+68%).
Comparing the first quarter of 2010 with the first quarter of 2009, double-digit increases were recorded in inward port cargo of "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+64%), "iron and steel" (+45%), "machinery" (+31%), "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (+19%) and "artificial resins and plastic materials" (+12%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded for "iron and steel" (+56%), "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+50%), "machinery" (+31%), "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+25%) and "artificial resins and plastic materials" (+14%).
Containers
In the first quarter of 2010, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.4 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 17% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers increased by 20% to 4.6 million TEUs, while empty containers also rose by 4% to 0.9 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 21% to 2.3 million TEUs, while outward containers also increased by 20% to 2.3 million TEUs.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 9% in the first quarter of 2010. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers rose by 10% and 8% respectively.
Seaborne and river laden containers increased by 22% and 16% in the first quarter of 2010 over a year earlier to 3.3 million TEUs and 1.2 million TEUs respectively.
Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment increased by 14% and 25% in the first quarter of 2010 over a year earlier to 0.8 million TEUs and 1.5 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment increased by 11% and 24% to 0.8 million TEUs and 1.5 million TEUs respectively.
Vessel arrivals
In the first quarter of 2010, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 6% over a year earlier to 7,990, with the total capacity decreasing by
