In the fourth quarter of 2009, total port cargo throughput increased by 5% compared to a year earlier to 64.7 million tons. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 7% and 3% to 36.9 million tons and 27.8 million tons respectively.
For 2009 as a whole, total port cargo throughput decreased by 6% compared to a year earlier to 243.0 million tons. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo dropped by 5% and 9% to 139.3 million tons and 103.7 million tons respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 1% in the fourth quarter of 2009. Within this total, inward port cargo went up by 2%, while outward port cargo decreased by 1%. 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 2% compared to a year earlier to 42.4 million tons, while river cargo rose by 13% to 22.3 million tons in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 9% and 5% in the fourth quarter of 2009 over a year earlier to 20.3 million tons and 16.6 million tons respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) decreased by 8% over a year earlier to 9.8 million tons, while outward transhipment increased by 11% to 18.0 million tons.
Within port cargo, seaborne cargo decreased by 10% in 2009 over 2008 to 161.6 million tons, while river cargo increased by 2% to 81.4 million tons.
Within inward port cargo, imports recorded virtually no change in 2009 over 2008 at 76.2 million tons, while inward transhipment dropped by 10% to 63.1 million tons. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 10% and 8% to 38.6 million tons and 65.0 million tons respectively.
Containers
In the fourth quarter of 2009, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.6 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 4% year-on-year. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 1% to 4.7 million TEUs, while empty containers dropped by 17% to 0.9 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers decreased by 1% to 2.3 million TEUs, while outward containers also decreased by 1% to 2.4 million TEUs.
In 2009, the port of Hong Kong handled 21.0 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 14% compared to 2008. Within this total, laden containers decreased by 13% to 17.7 million TEUs, while empty containers dropped by 21% to 3.3 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers decreased by 12% to 8.7 million TEUs, while outward containers dropped by 13% to 9.0 million TEUs.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 1% in the fourth quarter of 2009. Within this total, inward laden containers recorded virtually no change, while outward laden containers rose by 2%.
Seaborne laden containers decreased by 8% in the fourth quarter of 2009 over a year earlier to 3.3 million TEUs, while river laden containers rose by 22% to 1.4 million TEUs.
Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 1% in the fourth quarter of 2009 over a year earlier to 0.8 million TEUs, while inward transhipment recorded virtually no change at 1.4 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports decreased by 10% to 0.8 million TEUs, while outward transhipment increased by 4% to 1.6 million TEUs.
In 2009, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 16% and 3% over 2008 to 12.7 million TEUs and 5.1 million TEUs respectively. Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 11% and 12% in 2009 over 2008 to 3.1 million TEUs and 5.6 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 19% and 10% to 3.
