The Port of Hong Kong in the third quarter of 2006 handled 6.1 million TEU, an increase of one per cent compared to a year ago, according to the latest government statistics.Within this total, loaded containers rose by three per cent to 5 million TEU, while empties decreased six per cent to 1.1 million TEU. Among loaded containers, inward and outward containers rose by one per cent and four per cent to 2.4 million TEU and 2.7 million TEU respectively. Laden sea containers increased by one per cent over a year earlier to 3.7 million TEU in the third quarter of 2006, and laden river containers also went up by seven per cent to 1.4 million TEU. Within inward loaded boxes, imports grew by five per cent over a year earlier to 1.0 million TEU in the third quarter of 2006, while inward transshipment decreased by one per cent to 1.4 million TEU.
For laden outward containers, exports decreased by four per cent to 1.2 million TEU, while outward transshipment went up by 12 per cent to 1.4 million TEU respectively. In the first nine months of 2006, the volume of containers handled rose four per cent year on year to 17.4 million TEU. Within this total, loaded boxes grew by five per cent to 14.3 million TEU, and empty containers recorded virtually no change at 3.1 million TEU. For loaded containers, inward and outward containers rose by four per cent and five per cent to 6.9 million TEU and 7.4 million TEU respectively.