Hong Kong port's container throughput has grown at 4% a year on average from 2003 to 2008, reaching 24.5 million TEUs last year and making the city the world's third busiest container port for the year, the Census & Statistics Department says.
According to the department's analysis published today, laden container movements between Hong Kong and the Mainland occupied the largest share - 36% last year, up from 34% in 2003.
About 71% of them were between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta ports, reflecting the close economic relations between the city and the region.
Seaborne container throughput rose from 14.5 million TEUs in 2003, to 17.1 million TEUs in 2008, with an average annual growth rate of 3%. River container throughput grew at 5% a year on average, from 5.9 million TEUs in 2003 to 7.4 million TEUs in 2008.
Over the same period, laden transhipment containers rose from 8.5 million to 12.8 million TEUs, growing at an average annual rate of 8%. However, laden containers for direct shipment fell from 8 million to 7.5 million TEUs. Transhipment took up 63% of laden containers last year, up from 52% in 2003.
Of the commodities carried last year, 44% were manufactured goods, followed by machinery and transport equipment (19%) and chemicals and related products (15%).
For inward laden containers, 45% were loaded in the Mainland. Of them, 65% were from Pearl River Delta ports including Shenzhen (21%) and Guangzhou (16%).
About 28% of outward laden containers were discharged in the Mainland, with 80% being handled by delta ports including Guangzhou (26%) and Foshan, Nanhai and Shunde (23%).
According to the department's analysis published today, laden container movements between Hong Kong and the Mainland occupied the largest share - 36% last year, up from 34% in 2003.
About 71% of them were between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta ports, reflecting the close economic relations between the city and the region.
Seaborne container throughput rose from 14.5 million TEUs in 2003, to 17.1 million TEUs in 2008, with an average annual growth rate of 3%. River container throughput grew at 5% a year on average, from 5.9 million TEUs in 2003 to 7.4 million TEUs in 2008.
Over the same period, laden transhipment containers rose from 8.5 million to 12.8 million TEUs, growing at an average annual rate of 8%. However, laden containers for direct shipment fell from 8 million to 7.5 million TEUs. Transhipment took up 63% of laden containers last year, up from 52% in 2003.
Of the commodities carried last year, 44% were manufactured goods, followed by machinery and transport equipment (19%) and chemicals and related products (15%).
For inward laden containers, 45% were loaded in the Mainland. Of them, 65% were from Pearl River Delta ports including Shenzhen (21%) and Guangzhou (16%).
About 28% of outward laden containers were discharged in the Mainland, with 80% being handled by delta ports including Guangzhou (26%) and Foshan, Nanhai and Shunde (23%).
