Total port cargo throughput rose to 55.5 million tonnes in the first quarter, up 12% on the same period last year.

Within this total, inward port cargo rose 9% to 34 million tonnes, while outward port cargo rose 18% to 21.5 million tonnes.

On a seasonally-adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput rose 8%. Within this total, inward port cargo rose 7% while outward port cargo rose 11%.

Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo rose 11% and 17% to 39.4 million tonnes and 16.1 million tonnes.

Within inward port cargo, imports rose 5% to 21.5 million tonnes, while inward transhipment rose 18% to 12.5 million tonnes.

For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment rose 22% and 15% to 8.9 million and 12.6 million tonnes.

11% more containers handled

In the first quarter, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.2 million TEUs of containers, a rise of 11% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers rose 16% to 4.4 million TEUs, but empty containers fell by 9% to 800,000.

Among laden containers, inward and outward containers were up by 17% and 14% to 2.1 million and 2.3 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput rose 8%, comprising increases of 8% and 9% for inward and outward laden containers.

The number of ocean vessel arrivals was up 1% to 8,840, with total capacity increasing by 7% to 77.2 million net registered tons.

The number of river vessel arrivals rose 1% to 45 670, with a 4% rise in capacity to 21.5 million net registered tons.