Total port cargo in Hong Kong slipped 3% to 62.5m tonnes

Here's what to blame.

According to the Census & Statistics Department, total port cargo throughput dropped 3% year-on-year to 62.5 million tonnes in the first quarter.

Within this total, inward and outward port cargo fell 1% and 6% to 35.6 million tonnes and 26.9 million tonnes.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput grew 2% in the quarter. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose 1% and 4%.

In the first quarter, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.3 million TEUs of containers, down 8% year-on-year. Within this total, laden containers fell 8% to 4.5 million TEUs, while empty containers also dropped 7% to 0.8 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers fell 5% to 2.3 million TEUs, while outward containers also dropped 10% to 2.2 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput grew 2% in the first quarter. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers increased 1% and 3%.

The number of ocean vessel arrivals grew 1% to 7,470 year-on-year in the first quarter, with the total capacity falling 3% to 101.4 million net registered tonnes. The number of river vessel arrivals dropped 3% to 38,120, with the total capacity increasing 1% to 25.4 million net registered tonnes.