In the third quarter, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.8 million TEUs - or 20-foot-equivalent units - of containers, up 9% over a year earlier. 

Full containers rose 9%, to 4.6 million TEUs, while empty containers rose 10%, to 1.2 million TEUs.

In the same period, cargo-carrying inward containers rose 16% to 2.2 million TEUs while outward-bound ones rose 4% over a year earlier, to 2.4 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, full containers rose 3%, with inward cargo-carrying container throughput up 4% and outward-bound ones up 2% in the third quarter.

Seaborne containers carrying cargo rose 11% over a year earlier to 3.6 million TEUs in the third quarter, while cargo-carrying river containers rose 4% to 1.1 million TEUs.

Cargo-carrying containers bound for Hong Kong saw a 10% growth in imports from a year earlier, to 1 million TEUs in the third quarter. Inward transhipment soared 21% to 1.2 million TEUs.

Cargo-carrying containers leaving Hong Kong rose 3% in exports, to 1.3 million TEUs. Outward transhipment also rose 5% to 1.2 million TEUs.

For the first nine months of 2004, the port of Hong Kong handled 16.4 million TEUs, up 9% over a year earlier. Full containers rose 10% to 13.4 million TEUs, while empty containers rose 3% to 3 million TEUs.

Inward full containers were up 15% in that period, to 6.4 million TEUs, while outward full containers rose 6%, to 7 million TEUs.

Seaborne full containers went up 10% to 10.2 million TEUs over a year earlier, while river-laden containers also rose 10%, to 3.2 million TEUs.

Within inward full containers, imports and inward transhipment amounted to 2.8 million TEUs and 3.6 million TEUs, respectively, in the first nine months of 2004, up 10% and 19% from last year.

For outward full containers, exports amounted to 3.5 million TEUs, up 7% from last year, while outward transhipment rose 5%, to 3.5 million TEUs.

In the third quarter, total port cargo throughput increased  6% over a year earlier, to 55.1 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo rose 6% to 33.6 million tonnes, while outward port cargo also rose 6%, to 21.5 million tones.

Compared with the third quarter last year on a seasonally adjusted basis, total port cargo throughput was up 1% in the third quarter. Inward port cargo recorded virtually no change, while outward-bound ones rose 3%. 

Seaborne cargo rose 9% over a year earlier, to 40.1 million tones, while river cargo rose 1%, to 15.1 million tonnes, in the third quarter.

Within inward port cargo, imports fell 3% over a year earlier to 20 million tonnes in the third quarter, while inward transhipment surged by 24% to 13.6 million tonnes. 

For outward port cargo, exports - including domestic exports and re-exports - rose 4% over a year earlier to 9.2 million tonnes, while outward transhipment rose 8% to 12.3 million tonnes.

1st nine months see 165.9m tonnes cargo throughput

In the first nine months of 2004, total port cargo throughput increased 9% to 165.9 million tonnes over the same period in 2003. Within this total, inward port cargo was up 8% to 102.2 million tonnes, while outward port cargo also rose 10% to 63.7 million tonnes.

During the period, seaborne cargo went up 10% over a year earlier, to 119.8 million tonnes, while river cargo also increased 7%, to 46.1 million tonnes.

Within inward port cargo, imports rose 2% over a year earlier to 62.7 million tonnes, while inward transhipment surged 21% to 39.5 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports rose 11% to 26.7 million tonnes, while outward transhipment was up 9% to 37 million tonnes.

In the third quarter, the number of ocean vessel arrivals fell 1% over a year earlier to 8,860, with the total capacity recording virtually no change, at 76.3 million net registered tonnes. 

River vessel arrivals rose 6% in number to 48,430, with the total capacity rising 9% to 23.5 million net registered tonnes over the same period.

In the first nine months of 2004, the number of ocean vessel arrivals recorded virtually no change over a year earlier to 26,520, with the total capacity increasing  4% to 230.4 million net registered tonnes.