March zigzag

Container throughput in the largest ports around the world showed a growth slowdown in March 2010. Nevertheless, experts say, the restoration of the pre-crisis volume of transshipment of containers can be expected in the autumn this year. Ports of Russia, on the contrary showed intensive growth in containers handled in March. 

Lazy Spring 

Container throughput in China in January-March, 2010 increased by 22.1%, compared with the same period last year - up to 31.87 million TEUs. At the same time, in January-February growth made up 28.4%. In particular, the transshipment of containers in the port of Hong Kong in March grew by 11.4%, while increase in the first quarter made up 18.1%. 

Largest ports in other countries showed slowdown in container tradet in March. In particular, the volume of transshipment of containers in the port of Singapore in March grew only by 5.5% - to 2.4 million TEUs, while by the end of the quarter increase made up 16%. In the port of Los Angeles (USA) container counts in March rose by 4.51% and for the Q1  - by 7.9%. The volume of containers handled at the port of Long Beach in March was 13%, in Q1 in total – 15.9%.

As we considered before, the reason for the sharp volume increase in the container transshipment  in January-February, 2010 cold be buying spree in the New Year and also replenishment of reserves after crisis period. Most probably, at the present time all these factors are gone in connection with what we see some slowdown in growth rate. In our opinion it indicated market stabilization.As Dmitry Baranov, leading expert of Finam Management , told in the interview to Port News IAA, the most probable reason of growth rate reduction in March could be certain consolidation of the container transshipment  market before new growth. Besides, seasonal factor could affect it due to navigation in water areas in Northern hemisphere and partial reorientation of freight traffic flow into this direction.“Running at the capacity of pre-crisis period could be expected this autumn. The spring-summer period in the Northern hemisphere and revival of economy, closely related to it, can considerably boost the cargo transshipment volume’,- Dmitry Baranov believes. 

We have another way

What concerns the Russian market, the growth in container throughput got even higher in March. Mainly in the Big port of Saint Petersburg made up 52% in March, when total growth by the end of the quarter reached  39.7%. 
In March turnover of Novorossisk terminal of National Container Company NUTEP grew in 2.2 times in 2010 compared to  March of 2009, and in total in 3 months– by 52.6%. Volume of containers transshipment  of Group  Novorossisk Commercial Seaport grew by  29% in January-February of current year increased  в январе-феврале текущего года выросли на в то время как по итогам первого квартала - на 42,1%, что также говорит о мартовском росте.

This year our ports must show growth of container cargo transshipment, considerable 20-25% growth at that.   The reason for that is that there was a considerable decrease of container traffic and it must win back this slump, Dmitry Baranov thinks. 
According to him, the total increase in transit containers traffic through our country will contribute to such advance index.  «Itenarary through our country seems to be one of the most profitable for many of our shippers and consignees, and Russian Railways actively extend these shipments, “  Expert specified..Vitaly Chernov.