Date: 21^st June 2004

HK, Shenzhen post throughput gains

HONG KONG's various ports handled 2.02 TEU in May this year, a 21.6 per cent increase compared with the same month last year.

The May total was this year's second highest throughput after the 22.2 per cent rise reported in February, according to figures released jointly by the SAR's Marine Department and the Census and Statistics Department.

Cargo throughput recorded at Kwai Chung was 1.13 million TEU, up 14.5 per cent. River trade and mid-stream operations handled 889,000 TEU in May.

From January to May, Hong Kong's total throughput was 9.07 million TEU, up 11.7 per cent year-on-year. Kwai Chung accounted for 5.06 million TEU of the total amount, up four per cent; while river trade and mid-stream operations accounted for 4.01 million TEU of the territory's maritime freight, up 23.1 per cent.

Meanwhile, Shenzhen Port handled 4.92 million TEU in the first five months of the year, an increase of 31.87 per cent over the same period last year, reported Xinhua.

From January to May, the port handled a total of 52.06 million tons of cargo, up 24.17 per cent year-on-year. Foreign trade accounted for 33.57 million tons of the total, a rise of 38.4 per cent.

Container throughput for the three major port areas in Shenzhen for the same period was: Yantian 2.26 million TEU, up 18.7 per cent; Chiwan 943,000 TEU, up 64.1 per cent; Shekou 875,000 TEU, up 59.55 per cent, all were comparable over the prior-year period.

In addition, Suzhou Port handled 195,300 TEU during the same period, up 40.69 per cent year-on-year.

Total cargo throughput for the port during the first five months was 32.71 million tons, up 33.5 per cent.