First quarter total port cargo flat at 62.7mn tonnes

Hong Kong’s seaborne cargo up 3% to 43.2mn tonnes, while river cargo down 6% to 19.5mn tones.

Total port cargo throughput in the first quarter showed virtually no change over the same period last year, at 62.7 million tonnes.

The Census & Statistics Department, in its report, on Thursday said  both inward and outward port cargo recorded no change at 35.9 million tonnes and 26.8 million tonnes.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased 4%. Inward and outward port cargo fell 5% and 2%.

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo went up 3% over a year earlier to 43.2 million tonnes, while river cargo decreased 6% to 19.5 million tonnes.

Within inward port cargo, imports went up 2% to 18.3 million tonnes, while inward transhipment rose 1% to 17.6 million tonnes.

For outward port cargo, exports fell 3% to 9.2 million tonnes, while outward transhipment increased 2% to 17.6 million tonnes.