Il primo trimestre del porto di Hong Kong mostra i segni causati dalle difficoltà dei mercati mondiali

Nel primo trimestre di quest'anno il traffico nel porto di Hong Kong è ammontato a 42,4 milioni di tonnellate di merci, con un calo del 2% rispetto al corrispondente periodo del 2001. Con l'esclusione del traffico cabotiero locale, che è cresciuto del 6%, il traffico merci è risultato complessivamente di 30,3 milioni di tonnellate, con una flessione del 5%. I dati - resi noti oggi dal Census and Statistics Department di Hong Kong - mostrano una diminuzione dell'1% delle importazioni (26,4 milioni di tonnellate) e un calo del 2% delle esportazioni (16,0 milioni di tonnellate). Rispetto all'ultimo trimestre dello scorso anno il traffico è invece aumentato del 2%.

Il traffico in importazione ha registrato incrementi sostenuti nei confronti di Malaysia (+31%) e Stati Uniti (+11%), mentre sono risultati particolarmente in calo gli sbarchi di merci provenienti da Indonesia (-37%), Australia (-24%) e Corea del Sud (-12%). Nel settore delle esportazioni le diminuzioni più consistenti sono risultate quelle relative ad Olanda (-29%), Regno Unito (-12%) e Germania (-11%).

Nei primi tre mesi del 2002 il porto di Hong Kong ha movimentato 4,1 milioni di container da venti piedi, con una diminuzione del 2%. I container pieni sono stati 3,3 milioni di teu (-1%), quelli vuoti 0,8 milioni di teu (-8%). Gli sbarchi di container pieni sono ammontati a 1,5 milioni di teu (-1%), gli imbarchi di container pieni a 1,8 milioni di teu (-3%).

Nel primo trimestre sono arrivate nel porto di Hong Kong 9.360 navi (+4%), per un totale di 79 milioni di tonnellate di stazza netta (+27%). Le unità fluviali sono state invece 43.140 (+1%), per complessivi 17,1 milioni di tsn (+16%). Port of Hong Kong
Statistics on Vessels, Port Cargo and Containers
for 1st Quarter 2002
(Source: Census and Statistics Department)

Summary of port cargo statistics

		change over
	1st qtr 2002	1st qtr 2001
	(Mn. tonnes)	(%)

Port total	42.4	-2
Inward	26.4	-1
Imports	17.8	-5
Inward transhipment	8.6	+7
Outward	16.0	-2
Exports⁽¹⁾	7.0	-11
Outward transhipment	9.0	+5

Seaborne⁽²⁾	30.3	-5
Inward	20.7	-5
Imports	13.7	-8
Inward transhipment	7.0	+3
Outward	9.6	-4
Exports⁽¹⁾	4.5	-8
Outward transhipment	5.1	-1

River⁽²⁾	12.0	+6
Inward	5.7	+13
Imports	4.0	+8
Inward transhipment	1.6	+24
Outward	6.4	+1
Exports⁽¹⁾	2.6	-14
Outward transhipment	3.8	+15

Main countries/territories of loading of inward port cargo⁽¹⁾

		change over
Country/territory of loading	1st qtr 2002	1st qtr 2001
	('000 tonnes)	(%)

The mainland of China	8 326	+7
Seaborne⁽²⁾	2 718	-5
River⁽²⁾	5 608	+13
Taiwan	3 205	+2
South Korea	2 082	-12
Japan	2 048	+2
Singapore	1 993	-3
United States	1 682	+11
Thailand	1 056	+1
Indonesia	930	-37
Malaysia	869	+31
Australia	403	-24

Main countries/territories of discharge of outward port cargo⁽¹⁾

		change over
Country/territory of discharge	1st qtr 2002	1st qtr 2001
	('000 tonnes)	(%)

The mainland of China	7 767	+1
Seaborne⁽²⁾	1 599	-4
River⁽²⁾	6 168	+3
United States	2 335	+1
Taiwan	627	+9
Japan	592	-9
Germany	375	-11
South Korea	284	-4
Singapore	259	-5
Italy	257	-5
Netherlands	252	-29
United Kingdom	251	-12

Principal commodities of inward port cargo⁽¹⁾

		change over
Commodity group	1st qtr 2002	1st qtr 2001
	('000 tonnes)	(%)

Port total
Artificial resins and plastic materials	3 158	+18
Petroleum, petroleum products	3 139	-8
and related materials
Stone, sand and gravel	2 207	+4
Iron and steel	2 146	+1
Machinery	1 361	+9
Coal, coke and briquettes	1 286	-29
Paper and paper products	1 188	+7
Cement and cement clinker	960	-5
Pulp and waste paper	604	+30
Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles	589	-18
and related products

Seaborne⁽²⁾
Petroleum, petroleum products	3 103	-5
and related materials
Artificial resins and plastic materials	3 090	+17
Iron and steel	2 079	+1
Coal, coke and briquettes	1 286	-29
Paper and paper products	1 137	+7

River⁽²⁾
Stone, sand and gravel	2 089	+24
Machinery	442	+12
Bricks, ceramic tile and refractory	279	N.A.
construction materials
Cement and cement clinker	238	-21
Cement and concrete structure, building	232	N.A.
blocks and mineral manufactures

Principal commodities of outward port cargo⁽¹⁾

		change over
Commodity group	1st qtr 2002	1st qtr 2001
	('000 tonnes)	(%)

Port total
Machinery	1 826	+4
Artificial resins and plastic materials	1 582	+11
Iron and steel	1 349	+11
Metalliferous ores and metal scrap	781	-6
Pulp and waste paper	726	+23
Paper and paper products	597	+6
Tools, cutlery, metal household ware	462	N.A.
and manufactures
Furniture and parts thereof	457	-3
Organic chemicals	393	+12
Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles	355	-12
and related products

Seaborne⁽²⁾
Machinery	1 614	+6
Artificial resins and plastic materials	534	+23
Furniture and parts thereof	451	-2
Tools, cutlery, metal household ware	419	N.A.
and manufactures
Toys	336	-19

River⁽²⁾
Iron and steel	1 174	+13
Artificial resins and plastic materials	1 048	+5
Metalliferous ores and metal scrap	635	-7
Pulp and waste paper	542	+24
Paper and paper products	462	+16

Summary of container statistics

		change over
	1st qtr 2002	1st qtr 2001
	('000 TEUs^@)	(%)

Port total	4 068	-2
Laden containers	3 305	-1
Inward	1 535	+1
Imports	767	-1
Inward transhipment	768	+3
Outward	1 770	-3
Exports⁽¹⁾	916	-9
Outward transhipment	854	+6
Empty containers	763	-8
Inward	505	-9
Outward	258	-6

Seaborne⁽²⁾	2 947	-5
Laden containers	2 572	-3
Inward	1 172	-1
Imports	592	-1
Inward transhipment	579	-2
Outward	1 401	-4
Exports⁽¹⁾	807	-8
Outward transhipment	594	+1
Empty containers	374	-19
Inward	302	-15
Outward	72	-31

River⁽²⁾	1 121	+6
Laden containers	733	+7
Inward	364	+10
Imports	175	0
Inward transhipment	189	+22
Outward	370	+4
Exports⁽¹⁾	109	-20
Outward transhipment	260	+20
Empty containers	388	+5
Inward	202	+2
Outward	186	+9

Summary of vessel arrivals

		change over
	1st qtr 2002	1st qtr 2001
		(%)

Ocean
Number of incoming vessels⁽¹⁾	9 360	+4
Capacity (Mn. NRT^#)	79.0	+27

River
Number of incoming vessels^(*)	43 140	+1
Capacity (Mn. NRT^#)	17.1	+16

Notes :	Figures may not add up to the respective totals due to rounding.
	The above statistics do not include stone, sand and gravel shipped into Hong Kong for reclamation at Penny's Bay.
	(1)	Exports comprise domestic exports and re-exports.
	(2)	Seaborne refers to transport by vessels operating beyond the river trade limits, while river refers to transport by vessels operating exclusively within the river trade limits. The river trade limits mean the waters in the vicinity of Hong Kong which broadly include the Pearl River, Mirs Bay and Macao, and other inland waterways in Guangdong and Guangxi which are accessible from waters in the vicinity of Hong Kong.
	N.A.	The commodity group was under "Other manufactured goods classified chiefly by material" in 2001. It cannot be singled out for comparison with the figures in 2002
	@	TEU stands for twenty-foot equivalent unit which is a unit measure in capacity terms for different sizes of containers for moving the cargo. One TEU is equivalent to the capacity of one 20'x8'x8' container.
	'0'	denotes increase or decrease of less than 0.5%.
	(*)	The number of vessels is rounded to the nearest 10.
	#	Net registered ton (NRT) is a unit measure in volume terms of the space of a vessel available for carrying passengers or goods. One NRT is equivalent to 100 cubic feet.