Container ships must go faster, shippers told
Keith Wallis
26 June 2010
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong and Asian shippers' groups have urged shipping lines to increase the speed of their container ships to help overcome a possible shortage of containers used to transport goods around the world.

Carriers such as Orient Overseas Container Lines, Cosco Container Lines and Japan's Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha have cut the speed of their container ships by up to 50 per cent on some routes. This followed a downturn in the container shipping industry caused by a slump in cargo volumes as consumers slashed spending during the global economic crisis, coupled by a surge in the delivery of new ships.

Shipping lines had slowed the speed of their vessels from 24 knots to 14 knots. Hong Kong Shippers' Council executive director Sunny Ho said slower sailing had been implemented on about 80 per cent of services to Europe and 60 per cent of transpacific services. With ships sailing slower, "now there are more boxes on their way to their destination".

He estimated about 20 per cent of the global fleet of about 19 million containers had been taken out of the supply chain. But this corresponded with a projected increase in demand as the container shipping industry entered the peak season from the middle of July. Returning vessels to normal speed would adjust this shortage.

"We are calling for a stable freight market and reliability of services," Ho said. The council, which represents exporters, importers, traders and manufacturers, was also against shipping lines imposing extra fees to guarantee the supply of containers.

Ho said the possibility of carriers introducing an equipment repositioning fee had already been raised but the council was "against the idea of any further charges to get a box. It was up to the shipping companies to provide the services and the container".

The Singapore-based Asian Shippers' Council, comprising 10 shipper groups from Hong Kong, the mainland, Singapore and Southeast Asia, also called for an end to slow sailing. Chairman John Lu said while there "was some truth" in there being a container shortage, "our fear is container lines will use this as an excuse" to levy additional charges.

"Before the crisis, there was no shortage. The trade has not fully recovered so how can there be shortage?" Lu said slow sailing, which had been introduced by major lines, had distorted the supply of both containers and ships and led to less capacity being available for shippers wanting to export their goods and products.

This had made it easier for carriers to increase freight rates either directly or through the imposition of surcharges. Cosco has already announced plans to impose a peak-season surcharge of US$200 per 20-foot equivalent unit on containers sailing from Asia to Europe from July 15.

Customs seizes 8 million illicit cigarettes for transshipment
Government Press Release
Monday, April 12, 2010

Customs yesterday (April 11) foiled a smuggling attempt with a seizure of 8,519,800 sticks of illicit cigarettes in 852 cartons while inspecting a container at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound, River Trade Terminal, Tuen Mun. The illicit cigarettes were worth about $16 million with a duty potential of about $10 million.

Officers of the Anti-Illicit-Cigarettes Investigation Division and the Harbour and River Trade Division yesterday afternoon in a joint operation examined a 40-foot container declared as carrying "ovens" on board an incoming river trade vessel from Huangpu Port, Guangzhou. The officers found under X-ray examination that the density of the goods inside the container was different from the goods in the declaration and discovered the illicit cigarettes.

The container was destined for the United Kingdom via Hong Kong. Customs investigations are continuing and no arrest has been made so far.

Customs will closely monitor the use of transshipment as a means of smuggling, and will continue to take stringent enforcement action against cigarette smuggling in order to protect government revenues.

The public is urged to report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, selling or buying of illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for two years and a fine of $1 million.

Shippers face choppy waters as rates slump
2 July 2010
South China Morning Post

Shipping lines, including Hong Kong operators, face an uncertain six months as concern about Chinese steel demand and the strength of European economies cloud both the dry bulk and container shipping markets.

Operators of large dry bulk cape-size vessels of about 180,000 deadweight tonnes have already seen charter rates slump in the past two months on the main iron ore transport routes from Australia and Brazil to China.

Charter rates for iron ore cargoes from Australia to China are just above US$8 per tonne, compared with about US$14 per tonne in early May, shipbrokers said yesterday.

This equates to average earnings of US$15,000 per day, which is barely enough to cover daily operating and financing costs, they added.

By comparison, rates for a charter from Brazil to China are down to about US$22 per tonne from US$30 at the end of May.

Charter rates for smaller vessels of about 70,000 dwt and 35,000 dwt have also fallen.

Uncertainty also surrounds prospects for the container shipping sector on Asia-Europe routes amid concerns that austerity measures in some countries and the drop in the euro mean bleak economic outlook.

Tiger Group Investments, which is closely linked to the Seaspan Corp shipping group, was pessimistic about prospects.

Managing director Julian Proctor said the growth in Asia-Europe container volumes "was driven by demand for manufactured goods".

He added that while there had been a rebound in container shipment volumes, "it is not a 15th century renaissance, but a 15-second renaissance", pointing to the economic uncertainties.

But Maersk Line vice-president and head of south China Soren Karas was more upbeat and pointed out that there had been a "very strong market with high demand".

He remained confident and was "fairly comfortable" about prospects for the third quarter, but was "slightly more concerned" about the outlook for the fourth quarter.

"The European economies, we would like to see them do slightly better," Karas said.

He added that goods being shipped now were ordered before the debt crisis in Greece.

Uncertainty about prospects in the bulk and container shipping markets was likely to affect earnings of Hong Kong-listed companies including China Cosco Holdings and Jinhui Holdings, depending on the level of charter cover.

Brokers blamed the fall on a drop in chartering activity by mainland buyers.

"Major Chinese players stayed out of the market for the whole of June and charter rates slumped as a result," one Hong Kong-based shipbroker said.

A Singapore-based shipbroker held out little immediate prospect of an improvement in the outlook until China started buying iron ore again.

"The market is pretty miserable. As things stand, I am not optimistic about the second half of this year," he said.

While iron ore stockpiles at China's major ports have remained robust at 72 million tonnes, equivalent to three months' supply, domestic steel producers have cut prices after record production in May.

Figures from the World Steel Association estimate China's crude steel production topped a record 56.1 million tonnes in May, compared with almost 46.5 million tonnes in May last year. But steel prices have continued to fall since early May.

LCQ19: Regulation of pleasure vessels
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Government Press Release
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201007/07/P201007070135.htm

Following is a question by the Hon Miriam Lau Kin-yee and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the Legislative Council meeting today (July 7):

Question:

According to the relevant rules made by the Director of Marine under the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance (Cap.548), any person who wishes to operate within Hong Kong waters a pleasure vessel with an overall length exceeding 15 metres must pass the examination for Pleasure Vessel Operator Grade 2 Certificate. Some members of the public have relayed to me that as the examination for the certificate is conducted in written or oral form only and it is not compulsory for the candidates to undergo practical operating skills tests, the operation of jet-skis and speedboats for water-skiing, etc. which are equipped with powerful engines and can travel at high speed, by persons who only hold the certificate may easily cause accidents with serious consequences. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the numbers of accidents involving various types of pleasure vessels according to the reports received by the authorities in the past five years and, among them, the casualties involved, years of operating experience of operators of the vessels involved in the accidents and the types of certificates they held;

(b) of the justifications for not making it compulsory for applicants of Pleasure Vessel Operator Certificate (irrespective of Grade 2 or 1) to undergo practical operating skills tests; whether it has assessed which party should be held responsible in the event that an accident occur because the vessel operator who holds a valid certificate does not have practical operating experience, and if the aforesaid forms of examination are similar to those in other regions;

(c) whether the authorities will consider amending the examination rules for Pleasure Vessel Operator Certificate to require the applicants to undergo specified hours of practical operating skills training and pass the skills examination, in addition to written and oral examinations, before they are issued the relevant certificates, so as to enhance safety at sea; if so, of the specific timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and

(d) given the popularity of water sports in Hong Kong in recent years, particularly jet-skis and speedboats for water-skiing which are equipped with powerful engines and can travel at high speed but the persons who operate such vessels are only required to hold Pleasure Vessel Operator Grade 2 Certificate, whether the authorities will consider adding a restriction in such certificate on the engine power or speed of the vessels which holders of the certificate are permitted to operate, so as to enhance safety at sea; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The Marine Department (MD) is responsible for maritime navigational matters and the safety standards of all classes and types of vessels in Hong Kong to ensure compliance with international and local safety standards by vessels licensed in Hong Kong and using Hong Kong waters. My reply to the questions on operational safety and related matters of pleasure vessels in Hong Kong is as follows:

(a) From 2005 to 2009, there were in total 103 accidents (on average 20.6 accidents a year) involving mechanical pleasure vessels in operation, causing two dead and 26 injured. The accident in which two died in 2005 was caused by a lack of proper look-out, speeding and failure to display navigation light during night navigation. Both pleasure vessel operators involved had held a certificate for operation for over eight years.

A breakdown of the accidents involving the mechanical pleasure vessels in operation as recorded by the MD from 2005 to 2009 is at Table 1.

Of the 124 operators involved in the above accidents, 63 held Pleasure Vessel Operator (PVO) Grade 2 Certificate, while the remaining 61, PVO Grade 1 Certificate. Only six PVO Grade 2 Certificate holders in six of the accidents had held the certificates for less than a year. On average the rest had held their PVO certificates for eight years. The years of experience and types of certificate held by the operators is at Table 2.

(b) The Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance (the Ordinance) (Cap.548) provides for the making of rules for the certificates of competency examination for pleasure vessel operators, and the requirements of the examinations are listed in the rules. The current mode of examination adopted in Hong Kong is similar to that in Canada and Australia. The MD had consulted the industry and obtained their endorsement in drawing up the requirements.

To protect all other persons and property involved in an accident, Section 23C(1) of the Ordinance requires the owner, charterer or coxswain of any pleasure vessel to be insured against third party risks when using the vessel in the waters of Hong Kong. Similar to the third party risk insurance for motor vehicles, the insurance policy will not cover any vessel operator and crew of the party at fault but will cover any other person on board the vessel and any of the injured party and their property.

(c) The current examination system of the PVO certificates has been in effective use for many years. It is similar to that of some overseas countries and has been endorsed by the industry. Besides, as most of the accidents involving pleasure vessels over the past five years were minor ones and there was no indication that they were caused by the incompetence of the vessel operators, the current system which does not make it compulsory for applicants for PVO certificates to undergo practical operating skills tests can continue to be in use. Having said that, the Administration will review the arrangements from time to time.

(d) The PVO certificates do not stipulate the permitted power of vessels or any speed limit. However, the MD has issued guidelines to the public and promulgated speed restricted zones in Hong Kong waters, including the Victoria Harbour and popular bays, such as the Deep Water Bay on Hong Kong Island and Pak Sha Wan in Sai Kung, stipulating that all boaters (including pleasure vessel operators) must observe the relevant speed limits. Furthermore, all boaters (including pleasure vessel operators) must also comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea and navigate at a safe speed having regard to marine traffic and changes in weather conditions.

Given that most of the accidents involving pleasure vessels happened in popular water sports areas, apart from issuing public guidelines in the form of a notice to stipulate the speed limits for pleasure vessel operators in these areas, the MD has, in collaboration with the Marine Police, stepped up patrol in speed restriction zones, popular bays and water sports areas to prevent accidents. In addition, the MD has jointly organised water safety campaigns with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to raise the public's awareness of water sports safety through television announcements of public interest and talks.

Author : http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamccy/

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4771542124_f357181cf2_b.jpg

Doubts raised over need for new container terminal
Growth forecasts don't justify HK$10b project, says official
19 July 2010
South China Morning Post

The head of Hong Kong's container terminal operators' association says a tenth container terminal, estimated to cost about HK$10 billion, is not needed "in the foreseeable future", calling into question the future of the project.

Alan Lee said: "I do not see any need for it in my lifetime. My lifetime might be about 10 or 15 years."

He said the five-member group, which includes Li Ka-shing's Hongkong International Terminals, DP World and Cosco-HIT, would support construction of a new terminal provided the project was justified.

"Our position is that we do not disagree with the building of container terminal 10 provided we see a need for it," Lee said.

But he gave three reasons that questioned whether there would be sufficient growth in container throughput to support the massive investment needed.

Lee said the global slowdown in trade caused by the financial crisis weighed on container volumes, resulting in a 20 per cent collapse in throughput in Hong Kong in the first half of last year.

Additionally, he said, the shift by China's factories to smaller, higher-value products meant there would be fewer shipping containers needed compared with bulkier, lower-value goods.

Thirdly, he said the move of manufacturing to the western side of the Pearl River would mean there would be less reliance on Hong Kong's port.

Meanwhile, the government is pressing ahead with a preliminary feasibility study into plans to build container terminal 10 on the southern side of Tsing Yi island. Work on the two-year study is due to be completed in March next year. Latest estimates of the total cost of developing the container terminal, which is believed to involve some reclamation and the relocation of oil terminals at Tsing Yi, have not been released but observers believe the cost would top HK$10 billion.

A study into port cargo forecasts released in 2008 projected that Hong Kong "would continue to have modest and steady growth" and "Hong Kong will need the first new container berth by 2015 at the earliest".

Observers have their doubts. The nine Kwai Chung container terminals handled about 15.16 million teu (20-foot equivalent units) last year, down from 17.7 million teu in 2008.

But outlining the capacity that was available at Kwai Chung, Lee said: "We still have room for 23 million teu."

He said this handling capacity could be expanded by up to about five million teu, if there was more land available for container storage.

Over the past 10 years, throughput growth at Kwai Chung has been mixed, while in two years, 2001 and 2009, there was a year-on-year drop in volumes.

And although there was a strong rebound in container volumes at the Kwai Chung terminals in the first six months of the year, Lee doubted if this rate of increase would continue in the second half.

"My forecast is about 7 per cent for the whole year at Kwai Chung, with 3 per cent to 4 per cent growth in the latter part of this year," Lee said.

Hong Kong is also facing competition from ports in the Pearl River Delta. GHK (Hong Kong) managing director Jonathan Beard said current plans envisaged that more than 20 million teu of capacity would come on stream early next decade in Shenzhen, Nansha and Gaolan.

Stricken vessel towed to HK repair yard
6 August 2010
SCMP

A Singapore-registered container ship, stranded near Cheung Chau for more than a month after hitting an underwater object near Nansha, has been towed to a Hong Kong ship repair yard.

It arrived at HUD Ship Repair on Wednesday night. Most of the fuel and shipping containers carrying dangerous goods had already been offloaded.

Lai Chi-tung, senior marine officer at the Marine Department's vessel traffic centre, said the remaining containerised cargo would be unloaded now the 39,916 deadweight tonne Kota Kado was at Tsing Yi.

The ship was taken to Tsing Yi after salvage crews temporarily patched holes in the hull, pumped water out of the bow and cargo area and refloated the vessel on July 27.

The ship, built in 2005 and which has the capacity to carry 3,000 teu (20-foot equivalent units), was moved to HUD following the approval of a salvage plan this week.

It is owned by privately held Singaporean company Pacific International Lines (PIL), a substantial shareholder in Hong Kong-listed container shipping manufacturer Singamas Container Holdings. Both PIL and Svitzer, the salvage firm, declined to comment before repairs began.

Nobody was prepared to comment on the extent of the damage, although salvage-related insiders indicated that an underwater survey found the ship to be in better condition than expected.

A report from Hong Kong's Maritime Rescue and Co-ordination Centre said the bow and two cargo holds were flooded after the ship hit an unidentified object on June 29.

Author : http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/eddygo-travel

http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/eddygo/HongKong/Landscape/StoneCuttersBridge/100815%20StoneCutters/IMG_6453d7D.jpg

(Container terminal beneath Stonecutters Bridge)

Shenzhen takes No3 spot from HK as throughput rises 40.8pc
18 August 2010
SCMP

Shenzhen displaced Hong Kong as the world's third-busiest container port last month, the first time this year.

The mainland port's container throughput was higher on a monthly basis, though. It has always lagged behind Hong Kong on an annual basis, a status quo which may well change going by the current trend.

Shenzhen becomes the second mainland city to have overtaken Hong Kong in terms of container throughput. Shanghai, which surpassed Hong Kong in 2007, is now the world's busiest port, followed by Singapore and Shenzhen.

Last month, Shenzhen's throughput rose 40.8 per cent from July last year to a record 2.13 million teu, according to the Shenzhen Ports Association.

Hong Kong's throughput grew 9.7 per cent to 2.06 million teu, the Port Development Council said.

"It sends a clear message that if Hong Kong continues to be so much more expensive than Shenzhen, shippers will not use Hong Kong," said Willy Lin Sun-mo, the chairman of the Hong Kong Shippers' Council.

"Shenzhen was the most eye-catching compared to other ports [on the mainland]," JP Morgan analyst Karen Li said. "At first we thought Shenzhen's growth was due to the low-base effect because Shenzhen slowed down a lot in 2009 due to the global crisis. What surprised me is Shenzhen's strong monthly growth in June and July."

July's throughput growth in west Shenzhen, which trades mainly with Europe, was faster than east Shenzhen, which trades mainly with the United States, Li said. "This suggests China's trade with Europe was much better than what people expected."

Overall, last month's growth in container throughput of mainland ports was 23 per cent - above JP Morgan's expectations. However, leading indicators are pointing to softer growth ahead, Li wrote in a report.

The key risks to growth in the second half were softening order growth and inventory build-up, the report said.

Yu Huangyan, a China Merchants Securities analyst, said the throughput growth of Hong Kong and Shenzhen would slow in the fourth quarter because of weaker European consumer demand caused by the region's debt problems.

Part of the reason why Shenzhen is steaming ahead of Hong Kong is the China-Asean free-trade agreement that took effect on January 1, boosting shipments from Asean nations to Shenzhen, Lin said. If containers from Asean nations bound for the mainland stop in Hong Kong, they are required to be inspected at a charge of US$200 to US$300 per teu, while there is no charge in Shenzhen.

Maritime fair, open day at Government Dockyard
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Government Press Release

As an integral part of the Maritime Awareness Week, the Maritime Fair cum Government Dockyard Open Day will be held on Stonecutters Island on October 30 (Saturday).

The Government Dockyard on Ngong Shung Road, Stonecutters Island will be opened to ticket holders in two sessions: The first session from 10am to 1pm, and the second from 2pm to 5pm.

On October 30, there will be parade performances by the Hong Kong Sea Cadet Corps, visits to government vessels and vessel repairing workshops, display of the largest ship anchor in the world, and exhibitions mounted by the maritime industry and maritime-related government departments.

For safety concern, admission to the event is only for those ticket holders aged 10 or above.

Free admission tickets for the Maritime Fair cum Government Dockyard Open Day will be available at the Central Marine Office (3/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central), Aberdeen Marine Office (100A Shek Pai Wan Road) and Sai Kung Marine Office (4/F, Sai Kung Government Offices Building) of the Marine Department and the Public Enquiry Service Centre of the Sham Shui Po District Office (G/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road) from October 6 (Wednesday). First-come, first-served. Each person can get a maximum of four tickets at a time.

Free coach services at Cheung Sha Wan and Mei Foo MTR stations, and ferry services at the First Ferry Pier in Wan Chai to and from the Government Dockyard will be provided to the admission ticket holders.

The Maritime Awareness Week, spanning the week from October 25 to 31, is aimed at raising the awareness of the general public on the significance of the maritime industry to Hong Kong and the contributions of seafarers to the society.

In addition, the Maritime Awareness Week will represent Hong Kong's main contribution to the International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Year of the Seafarer and mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the autonomous Hong Kong Shipping Registry.

For further information, please call the Maritime Fair cum Government Dockyard Open Day Hotline at 2307 3572, or visit www.maritimeawarenessweek.org.hk/.

Cargo ship seized, may be sold to raise US$100,000 in back-wages
9 October 2010
South China Morning Post

A general cargo ship owned by a company in the Philippines has been held in Hong Kong on behalf of its eight crew, who are owed about US$100,000 in unpaid wages.

The 1,218 deadweight tonne ship, Marie T, could now be sold at auction with the proceeds used to pay the crew and other creditors.

Ting Kam-yuen, head of the Hong Kong office of the International Transport Workers Federation, who helped the crew obtain legal aid to fight their claim, estimated the ship was worth about US$1.2 million.

Grandfame Ship Management, the Hong Kong company which managed the day-to-day operation of the ship, was owed about US$250,000. He said this company was among several creditors which had contacted the Bailiff's Office about the ship and he thought total claims could top US$1 million.

The vessel is the only ship owned by Philippine company Tountzis Shipping, which could not be contacted yesterday.

Ting said the shipowner could either pay the outstanding claims, including the crew's wages, to have the ship released or the ship would be sold at auction. The Bailiff's Office was likely to give the owner about 21 days to make arrangements to pay its creditors.

But failure to pay would result in the Panama-registered ship being sold in the next two or three months.

Ting said the crew, comprising two Scandinavian officers and six Filipino ratings, would have priority in having their wage claim paid first before other creditors.

The Danish captain refused to comment, but the crew were referred to the Bailiff's Office by the Mission to Seafarers in Tsim Sha Tsui.

About 10 ships have been held under arrest in Hong Kong in the past year, mainly over unpaid bank loans, chandlery bills or disputes involving cargo.

The 64,200 deadweight tonnes cargo ship Decurion, which is owned by Maruba, Argentina's largest privately owned shipping company, is still under arrest in Hong Kong after being detained in August.

The ship was arrested by lawyers acting on behalf of Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical, an offshoot of PetroChina, over unpaid fuel bills running into millions of United States dollars covering both Decurion and other Maruba vessels.

In a writ filed by lawyers from Clyde & Co, Chimbusco said it was owed for 20 unpaid fuel contracts. A Panamax ship sailing between South America and Asia would typically consume around US$6 million worth of fuel on a single voyage based on prices this year.

Six general cargo vessels, owned by a Russian shipping company, were all sold at public auction by the Bailiff's Office last November after being arrested in Hong Kong. They were held in a dispute involving outstanding mortgages totalling about US$20 million that were held by European bank DVB Bank.

The ships originally had Russian crew. They were replaced by mainland seafarers employed by Hong Kong company Wallem Shipmanagement, which was entrusted by DVB Bank to keep crew on board.

But tough Immigration Department rules, which limit crew with a seafarer's visa to a maximum stay of 14 days, caused major problems for Wallem and brought criticism of the Hong Kong government's lack of support for the shipping industry.

The six ships, which remained in Hong Kong from July last year to January and February this year, needed a crew change every 14 days, which involved 16 men for each vessel.

John Wood, fleet personnel director at Wallem Shipmanagement, said: "Despite our protests and pleadings regarding safety and environmental protection we were required to replace all of the seafarers every two weeks."

1 millionth boat transits Panama Canal

The Hong Kong ship Fortune Plum, which in Chinese forecasts Good Luck became the 1 millionth ship to transit the Panama Canal since it opened in 1914.he passage was recorded on Sept. 4 at 6:45 a.m. as the ship, carrying steel products passed out of the Canal at the Atlantic end.

The first ship that officially passed through the waterway linking two oceans was the steamer SS Ancon, on Aug. 15, 1914. Ancon and her sister ship Cristobal played a crucial role in building the canal, bringing workers and supplies, from New York to Panama.

On August 15, 1914 Ancon made the first official transit of the canal as part the opening ceremonies which were overshadowed by the start of WW I. Her sister ship Cristobal had made the first unofficial transit on August 3, delivering a load of cement, while an old French crane boat Alexandre La Valley had crossed the canal from the Atlantic in stages during construction, finally reaching the Pacific on January 7.)

Ancon was acquired by the United States Navy after the end of WW I and fitted out as USS Ancon, a troop transport to return Americans home.
The Panama Railroad Company replaced SS Ancon in 1938 with a second SS Ancon, a larger steam turbine cargo liner which later action as US Navy Transport USS Ancon in World War Two.

An average of 14,000 ships now use the Canal annually.
The volume of traffic that goes through the Canal is about 300 million tons a year. It's busiest year was in 2007, when 312 million tons of traffic made the transit.

Hong Kong: First port of call?
8 October 2010
China Daily - Hong Kong Edition

Hong Kong's container port is one of the first sights to greet newcomers to the city as they careen in taxis and buses from the airport to either Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. The yellow lights, looming cranes and endless rows of containers, stacked high and wide like giant matchboxes inspire a sense of wonder about the magnitude of goods created on the mainland, facilitated in Hong Kong, and enjoyed by the rest of the world.

For many people, Hong Kong's container port remains a symbol of the city's international importance, as well as a sign of its economic might. It is a sharp departure from the slick skyscrapers on Hong Kong Island which serves well as a symbol of the city's white collar wealth, but few who pass the port - one of the busiest in the world - will feel any less humbled by it.

When assessing just how much trade is conducted through the port, measurements are taken in "twenty-foot equivalent units" (TEUs). Each 20-foot container received or sent at the port counts as one TEU, and a 40-foot container counts as two TEUs.

Between 2000 and 2009, Hong Kong's total container throughput (the amount of TEUs handled) rose 16 percent, from 18.1 million TEUs to 21 million. Of this figure, the great majority was handled by Kwai Tsing Container Terminals - a vast industrial site that sits on the reclaimed Rambler Channel between Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Island.

But these figures mask a sharp decline in relevance and, crucially, market share for Hong Kong as a gateway between the mainland and the rest of the world. During the same period, Hong Kong's market share of the goods imported and exported to and from southern China slumped from near dominance at 90 percent to just 20 percent.

Hong Kong has become stagnant in the past decade compared with Shanghai and Singapore - the two cities Hong Kong most associates itself with in its fight to be Asia's "world city". Both cities increased their throughput by 92 and 40 percent respectively. As a result Hong Kong has seen its title as the biggest export hub in the world slip to number three, behind its two longtime competitors.

Despite this apparent threat to its continued relevance, Alan Lee, chairman of the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association (HKCTOA) points out that all eyes need to be focused not on its rivals but rather on a more local threat to the future of Hong Kong's role as a port city. "Singapore is not our biggest competitor," he says. "It is Shenzhen.

"In fact, when people ask me now, 'when will Shenzhen's overtake Hong Kong's container port?' I now tell them: 'It already has'."

Lee says that while the container port can be made to be more competitive in order to take on Shenzhen, the government and clients of the port agree that losing the edge against the city's mainland neighbor would indeed hurt the wider interests of Hong Kong.

The rise of Shenzhen's container port capacity has been rapid, and annual figures now nip at the heels of Hong Kong's total exports. In the month of July, Shenzhen's ports not only dealt with more traffic than Hong Kong's, but there is also further evidence to show that Hong Kong is even less competitive than it appears.

"Around half of the cargo that passes through Hong Kong is just vessel-to-vessel transfers," says Lee. A vessel-to-vessel transfer is one in which a container is brought to Hong Kong, shifted from one ship to another and then sent out again. "However, this container is counted twice: once on its way in to Hong Kong, and once on its way back out. How many actual containers are there in this transaction? One, but it will be recorded as two."

It means that around half of the containers counted at Hong Kong's container port have in fact been counted twice. Furthermore, when a 40-foot container is transferred in such a way then that one container will be counted four times. Once these "phantom" containers are taken out of Hong Kong's container figures, the port actually falls behind Shenzhen in terms of containers handled on an export or import basis.

The HKCTOA is aware of this issue and has called on the government to provide better-tailored solutions for the Kwai Tsing terminals. Namely, it has requested that the position of a standalone shipping minister should be created in order to take control of the port and ensure its competitiveness in the future.

The government indeed says that it is supportive of the port, issuing a statement arguing that the impact the port has on the wider economy is too great to lose.

"(Hong Kong port) is a vital economic infrastructure of Hong Kong - (it) handles 89 percent of (Hong Kong's) freight in tonnage terms (of the remaining cargo coming into or out of Hong Kong, 1 percent is by air and 10 percent by land)," says a spokesperson from the Transport and Housing Bureau. "The port sector directly contributes 1.9 percent of Hong Kong's GDP and ... 113,000 jobs."

Add to this figure the fact that the port is an integral part of the wider trading and logistics sector - an industry that accounts for a quarter of the city's entire GDP - and it is clear just how significant it could be if Hong Kong loses its edge.

A spokesperson for Hong Kong-based logistics company OOCL also says that, despite competition from neighboring Shenzhen, Hong Kong's container industry remains crucial to the city's economy, and to the city's relevance worldwide. "Hong Kong is an externally oriented economy, which has consistently adapted to changing times to move up the value chain and remains one of the world's most influential maritime hubs," says the spokesperson. "(Logistics functions) remain one of the four key pillars of the Hong Kong economy (and) logistics will remain an important pillar of the Hong Kong economy."

The importance of the port is well established, in the eyes of government, private industry and the city as a whole. But Lee explains that there are some recurring setbacks that port operators face in their attempts to make the container terminals more competitive.

"Firstly, Hong Kong container terminals don't have a lot of land compared with others elsewhere," says Lee. "An average container terminal will have around 25 hectares per berth for storing containers: Hong Kong has around half this space available." As such, Hong Kong container terminal users stack their containers higher and they require more machines to work faster - all of which add costs to Hong Kong operators and make the port less attractive compared with neighboring Shenzhen.

Space crunch in Hong Kong causing problems remains a familiar story, but Lee says that land which could be used for extra container storage space is often sold at auction to property developers. These developers do build warehouses for the logistics industry but their high bid prices mean high rents for container terminal operators. If conditions could be put in place to allow operators of the port a better shot at buying the land themselves, Lee says, they could then increase the competitiveness of Hong Kong's port by keeping costs low.

This is a sentiment well understood by logistics companies themselves. "(We) encourage more terminal capacity being built in Hong Kong," OOCL's spokesperson says. "We think there should be more capacity to enable Hong Kong to stay competitive in the logistics business."

In addition to the indirect costs involved with land however, there are also added direct costs for exporters hoping to use Hong Kong's port. There is also the problem of the border between the mainland and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong and Shenzhen are in competition to handle the goods manufactured in southern China (this is one of the reasons Lee maintains that he is unconcerned about how successful Singapore - which handles goods manufactured in Southeast Asia - appears to be). But faced with the choice of shipping via either Shenzhen or Hong Kong a typical business making goods in Dongguan, for instance, faces a fee of $200 per container if it chooses Hong Kong: a fee not payable if they choose to use Shenzhen.

"When Chinese trucks reach the border, the container they are transporting must be put onto a right-wheel drive truck suitable for Hong Kong roads," says Lee. "This means two separate trucks need to be organized, and even two separate drivers - one for the mainland and one for Hong Kong."

Not only is the company paying extra wage fees and truck costs , but it also slows the entire delivery process down somewhat. It leads to fewer deliveries per driver per day when compared to the number of trips that could be made if only travelling to Shenzhen ports, and so creates another reason to favor Shenzhen over Hong Kong.

However, the government has said that the high frequency of sailings and the ability to reach more than 500 destinations worldwide should ensure Hong Kong's competitiveness against Shenzhen. "Hong Kong port provides comprehensive, efficient and reliable port services, particularly as a (vessel-to-vessel) hub," said a government spokesperson.

Lee, however, points to a different scenario: "Hong Kong could continue to expand (in container terms) but without earning market share back from Shenzhen we would still be losing the battle for competitiveness," he says.

Taking a walk to the container port terminals at Kwai Chung is an ear-splitting experience. Trucks roar past almost every second, carrying 20- or 40-foot containers stuffed with goods created in China and destined for any country in the world. Standing in front of the port, it would be easy to convince anyone that this is still the busiest container port in the world, and it is indeed difficult to imagine from that spot that it will fade in significance.

But it has been rapidly losing market share to Shenzhen, and faces tougher hurdles for expansion than its mainland neighbour.

"Pearl River Delta ports have a competitive edge in terms of cost and land whereas Hong Kong port, being a free port with simple and efficient customs clearance and higher frequency of shipping schedule, commands niches," adds the government's spokesperson.

Many eyes will be watching whether this will be enough for Hong Kong to remain as crucial to the rest of the world as it has in the past.

Container lines agree to cut ship emissions
16 October 2010
SCMP

Some of the world's largest container shipping lines will slash ship emissions at the port of Kwai Chung after agreeing to use less polluting low sulphur fuel while berthed for loading and unloading cargo.

The firms include the Tung family controlled Orient Overseas Container Line, Singapore's APL, Evergreen Marine from Taiwan, the French CMA CGM Group and German carriers Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Sud.

Altogether about 13 lines out of the 21 container shipping members of the Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association agreed to sign its Fair Winds charter by yesterday, the deadline given by the group in the charter.

The charter said carriers that volunteer to use the low sulphur fuel will start the switch from January 1, 2011, and continue to December 31, 2012.

The change to more expensive fuel will cost participating shipping firms between US$500,000 and US$1 million per year, although all are expected to absorb the cost rather than pass it on to cargo owners and exporters.

But Maersk said it had changed to using the less polluting fuel in September, while APL said it would begin changing to the cleaner burning fuel this month.

APL, which has 87 ships calling at Hong Kong every week, said the switch would cut sulphur dioxide emissions from ships at the port by 87 per cent. This would have a direct impact on people working and living in the Kwai Chung area.

Several other carriers including Cosco Container Lines, Hanjin Shipping from South Korea and Russian container line Fesco said they were studying whether to make the switch in fuel.

Sun Jiakang, Cosco managing director, said the company would study the charter, which he described as a "very important document".

Hanjin Shipping spokeswoman Sonya Cho said: "We have not signed up for this - just reviewing the possibility at this stage."

The carriers agreeing to use low sulphur fuel are expected to be confirmed during Maritime Awareness Week at the end of this month.

The association urged Hong Kong to expedite talks with Guangdong "to introduce regulations, consistent with international standards, on ship emissions in both Hong Kong and the Pearl River delta by December 31, 2012".

Celebrating HK Shipping Registry's two decades of achievements
Friday, October 29, 2010
Government Press Release

As a key part of Maritime Awareness Week (MAW), the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, and prominent figures of Hong Kong's maritime industry joined a luncheon today (October 29) to mark the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong Shipping Registry (HKSR).

In a keynote speech delivered at the luncheon, Ms Cheng congratulated the autonomous HKSR on its impressive achievements as a shining example of first-rate service offered by the Hong Kong maritime cluster.

The HKSR was set up on December 3, 1990. Starting with a gross tonnage of six million, it is now the fifth largest register globally and has passed the 54 million mark.

Ms Cheng said, "Gross tonnage apart, ships flying the Hong Kong flag are also amongst the best performers worldwide. The port state detention rate for Hong Kong ships is only about one third of the world's average."

Ms Cheng pointed out that consolidating Hong Kong's position as a renowned international maritime centre and reinforcing the maritime cluster had always ranked high on the agenda of the Government and would remain so.

She said the Government would vigilantly safeguard the institutional strengths essential to maintaining Hong Kong's premier maritime position, such as being a free port, and having an independent judiciary and a common law legal system, a simple and low tax regime, a friendly business environment, free flow of capital and information, practices and requirements that were fully on a par with the relevant international standards, as well as strong and well established international business and maritime network.

Ms Cheng noted that admittedly, the Hong Kong Port, as a mature port, could not match the growth rate of ports in the Pearl River Delta. "Nevertheless, Hong Kong's truly global reach and high frequency of sailings have helped maintain and reinforce its status as an international hub port," she said. "During the first nine months of 2010, we had a throughput of about 18 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units, representing a year-on-year increase of some 13%. Furthermore, in view of Hong Kong's well established competitive advantages in service provision, our reputation in offering tailored logistics services and our experience in handling high value goods, it would be logical for Hong Kong to play to our strengths. Hence, whilst the Government will continue to put in place the necessary infrastructure to meet the needs of the Hong Kong Port in time, the future of Maritime Hong Kong would rely heavily on the service side."

Ms Cheng said the Government would step up efforts to nurture a pool of home-grown maritime talents through financial incentive schemes and scholarships and that the Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council and Hong Kong Port Development Council would continue to conduct promotional missions to potential markets.

Also speaking at the luncheon, the Director of Marine, Mr Roger Tupper, echoed Ms Cheng's view on Hong Kong's status as an international hub port.

Mr Tupper said, "This large fleet, amongst the top five in the world, provides a constant visual reminder in the great port cities around the globe that Hong Kong is a truly world maritime city."

Together with Ms Cheng, Mr Tupper and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA), Mr Kenneth Koo, presented awards at the luncheon to individual and companies which had supported the Sea-going Training Incentive Scheme of the Government.

MAW, which is taking place from October 25 to 31, aims to raise the profile of the maritime industry so that the public, the younger generation in particular, will learn more about its important contributions and the various opportunities that it offers. MAW also reflects Hong Kong's commitment to the International Maritime Organization's during its designated "Year of the Seafarer". For more information, please visit www.maritimeawarenessweek.org.hk/.

Container shipper Seaspan's 3Q loss widens as costs rise, even as revenue tops forecasts
28 October 2010

NEW YORK (AP) - Seaspan Corp., which operates container shipping in Hong Kong, said Wednesday that its third-quarter loss widened as rising costs more than offset an increase in revenue.

The Marshall Islands company said it lost $70.9 million, or $1.15 per share, compared with a loss of $66 million, or $1.03 per share, a year earlier.

The company said adjusted, or normalized, earnings attributable to shareholders rose to 30 cents per share from 27 cents per share a year ago. That matched the forecast of analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters. Normalized earnings exclude write-offs, depreciation and other items.

Revenue rose to $111.4 million from $74.1 million a year earlier. Analysts expected $109.8 million.

The shares fell 57 cents, or 3.9 percent, to close at $13.98.

Pacific Basin Shipping Orders 10 New Vessels For US$284.4 Mln
16 November 2010

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Dry bulk shipper Pacific Basin Shipping Ltd. (2343.HK) said Monday it ordered 10 new vessels from two shipyards for a total of US$284.4 million.

The company said it ordered six 35,000-deadweight ton dry bulk carriers from Jiangmen Nanyang Ship Engineering Co. for US$25.50 million per vessel. The vessels are due for delivery between the second half of 2012 and the first half of 2013. Pacific Basin has the option to purchase two additional vessels to be delivered in the second half of 2013 at the same price.

The company also ordered four 58,100-deadweight ton carriers from Tsuneishi Group (Zhoushan) Shipbuilding Inc. for US$32.85 million each. Those vessels are due for delivery in 2013.

The orders are part of the company's fleet expansion program, which it revived in December 2009.

Pacific Basin is the world's largest operator of modern handysize vessels, the smallest of the four categories of dry-bulk ships, with a capacity of less than 40,000 deadweight tons. These ships can navigate shallow waters such as rivers. Handymax vessels can handle 40,000 to 59,999 deadweight tons of cargo.

Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Government Press Release

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (December 7) released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2010.

In the third quarter of 2010, total port cargo throughput increased by 5% over a year earlier to 67.8 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 8% and 2% to 39.1 million tonnes and 28.7 million tonnes respectively.

For the first nine months of 2010, total port cargo throughput increased by 11% over a year earlier to 197.8 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 12% and 10% to 114.4 million tonnes and 83.4 million tonnes respectively.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 1% in the third quarter of 2010. Within this total, both inward and outward port cargo went up by 1%. The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.

Port cargo

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo increased by 8% over a year earlier to 46.6 million tonnes, while river cargo recorded virtually no change at 21.2 million tonnes in the third quarter of 2010.

Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 3% and 13% in the third quarter of 2010 over a year earlier to 20.1 million tonnes and 19.0 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) decreased by 9% over a year earlier to 9.4 million tonnes, while outward transhipment rose by 9% to 19.3 million tonnes.

Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo increased by 13% and 6% in the first nine months of 2010 over a year earlier to 135.0 million tonnes and 62.9 million tonnes respectively.

Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 5% and 20% in the first nine months of 2010 over a year earlier to 58.8 million tonnes and 55.6 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports decreased by 3% to 28.0 million tonnes, while outward transhipment increased by 18% to 55.4 million tonnes.

The detailed port cargo statistics are summarised in Table 1.

The main countries/territories of loading for inward port cargo and countries/territories of discharge for outward port cargo are shown in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively.

Comparing the third quarter of 2010 with the third quarter of 2009, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Japan (+25%), the mainland of China (+23%) and Malaysia (+13%). On the other hand, a double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (-10%). Over the same period, increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in most main countries/territories of discharge, with the three most significant increases recorded for Indonesia (+66%), Korea (+54%) and Malaysia (+45%).

Comparing the first nine months of 2010 with the same period in 2009, double-digit increases were registered in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the mainland of China (+30%), Japan (+28%), Malaysia (+16%) and Vietnam (+10%). Over the same period, increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in most main countries/territories of discharge, with the three most significant increases recorded for Thailand (+57%), Indonesia (+54%) and Malaysia (+51%).

The principal commodities for inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5.

Comparing the third quarter of 2010 with the third quarter of 2009, double-digit increases were recorded in inward port cargo of "machinery" (+39%) and "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+25%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded for "machinery" (+31%), "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+28%), "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+26%), "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-21%) and "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-15%).

Comparing the first nine months of 2010 with the same period in 2009, double-digit increases were recorded in inward port cargo of "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+44%), "machinery" (+35%) and "iron and steel" (+29%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded for "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+36%), "machinery" (+31%), "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+31%), "iron and steel" (+28%) and "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-12%).

Containers

In the third quarter of 2010, the port of Hong Kong handled 6.2 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 11% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers increased by 9% to 5.2 million TEUs, while empty containers also rose by 19% to 1.0 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 10% to 2.5 million TEUs, while outward containers also rose by 8% to 2.7 million TEUs.

In the first nine months of 2010, the port of Hong Kong handled 17.6 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 14% over the same period in 2009. Within this total, laden containers went up by 14% to 14.9 million TEUs, while empty containers also increased by 15% to 2.8 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 15% to 7.4 million TEUs, while outward containers also rose by 13% to 7.5 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 2% in the third quarter of 2010. Within this total, inward laden containers dropped by 3%, while outward laden containers recorded virtually no change.

Both seaborne and river laden containers increased by 9% in the third quarter of 2010 over a year earlier to 3.8 million TEUs and 1.4 million TEUs respectively.

Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment increased by 4% and 14% in the third quarter of 2010 over a year earlier to 0.9 million TEUs and 1.7 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment increased by 6% and 10% to 0.9 million TEUs and 1.8 million TEUs respectively.

In the first nine months of 2010, seaborne and river laden containers increased by 15% and 10% over the same period in 2009 to 10.8 million TEUs and 4.0 million TEUs respectively.

Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment increased by 8% and 18% in the first nine months of 2010 over a year earlier to 2.5 million TEUs and 4.9 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment increased by 8% and 16% to 2.5 million TEUs and 5.0 million TEUs respectively.

The detailed container statistics are summarised in Table 6.

Port cargo and laden container statistics are compiled from a sample of consignments listed in the cargo manifests supplied by shipping companies and agents to the C&SD.

Vessel arrivals

In the third quarter of 2010, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 6% over a year earlier to 8 220, with the total capacity increasing by 12% to 105.2 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 4% over a year earlier to 45 790, with the total capacity increasing by 15% to 28.6 million net registered tons.

In the first nine months of 2010, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 2% over a year earlier to 24 230, with the total capacity increasing by 4% to 296.1 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 4% over a year earlier to 133 340, with the total capacity increasing by 12% to 81.1 million net registered tons.

The statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong are given in Table 7.

Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters and authorised shipping agents. Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.

Further information

More detailed statistics on port cargo, containers and vessels are contained in the quarterly report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics".

The July – September 2010 issue of the report, in download version, will be available by the end of December. Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/statistical_report/external_trade/index.jsp).

Table : http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201012/07/P201012070218.htm

Lawyers seize mainland oil tanker
9 December 2010
South China Morning Post

An oil tanker owned by an offshoot of China Ocean Shipping, the mainland's largest shipping company, was seized by lawyers in Hong Kong yesterday in a dispute over the payment of US$32.4 million covering a failed ship charter.

The 43,928 deadweight tonne vessel, Yan Shui Hu, is owned by Dalian Yuanchang Shipping which is controlled by Cosco Dalian.

Dalian Yuanchang Shipping is locked in a row with German shipping firm Hermann Dauelsberg over the charter of another ship, a 92,500 deadweight cargo bulk carrier.

The Bremen-based shipowner claims the Dalian firm agreed to charter the bulk carrier for seven years at a daily rate of US$32,000 from delivery of the ship by mainland shipbuilder Zhejiang Yangfan Shipbuilding in October.

But as charter rates fell to about US$21,000 per day before delivery of the ship, the German owner complained that the Dalian company failed to take delivery of the vessel and repudiated the charter.

As a result it recently started arbitration proceedings in London to recover about US$28 million, which is the difference between the two charter rates, plus interest and costs to make a total claim of US$32.4 million.

As part of this legal process, lawyers from Hong Kong law firm Jonathan Rostron Solicitors served a warrant to seize the tanker yesterday morning soon after the ship arrived.

INTERVIEW: Chu Kong Shipping Targets 20% Shipping Volume Growth This Year
6 January 2011

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Chinese river transport operator Chu Kong Shipping Development Co. (0560.HK) is targeting a 20% increase in cargo handling this year as it seeks opportunities to acquire assets from its state-owned parent and elsewhere, and buoyant global trade boosts demand for shipping services in the Pearl River Delta, Chairman Hua Honglin said.

Hua said he expects the Guangdong government-backed company, which operates barge services connecting upstream ports in the Pearl River Delta with major container terminals in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, to secure deals involving both cargo and passenger shipping assets this year following a 20% jump in volumes in 2010.

Chu Kong suffered a 9.2% drop in handling volume in 2009 as the global financial crisis reduced demand for its dry-bulk and container-shipping services, but business recovered significantly from the first half of 2010, with handling volumes during the period rising 23% to 422,542 20-foot-equivalent units, or TEUs, from 343,111 TEUs a year earlier.

"We are looking for investment opportunities in the Pearl River Delta, especially in the western part of the region," Hua told Dow Jones Newswires in a recent interview.

He added the possible deals under consideration include the acquisition of new river ports, increased stakes in existing port assets and investments in new passenger ferry services between Guangdong province and Macau.

He said Hong Kong-listed Chu Kong, which has a market capitalization of around HK$1.71 billion (US$220 million), aims to increase its share of cargo transshipment between ports in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta to 20% in three to five years, from 12% now.

Chu Kong is controlled by Guangdong Province Navigation Holdings Co. and operates around 20 inland cargo terminals as well as scheduled container and dry-bulk shipping routes in the Pearl River Delta.

In December, the company sold a 20% stake in a river ports unit to ports operator China Merchants Holdings (International) Co. for HK$131 million, which Hua said recently would help the company provide more comprehensive logistics and shipping services within the Pearl River Delta.

That deal followed a strategic alliance between Chu Kong's parent and a unit of shipping giant China Cosco Holdings Ltd. in August under which the companies will work together on barge transport, cargo canvassing and the allocation of port resources in the Pearl River Delta region.

In March, Chu Kong paid its parent HK$480.6 million for high-speed passenger ferry assets that operate services at 16 passenger terminals in Hong Kong, Macau and a number of southern Chinese cities.

However, Hua said river transport and port handling operations remain Chu Kong's biggest revenue contributors, accounting for around 90% of its business in the first half of 2010.

"The shipping industry has nearly returned to pre-crisis levels," said Hua. "Though the global economic downturn depressed international trade, trade within China remains strong on the back of the Chinese government's stimulus measures."

HONG KONG 11.8%


The airport of Hong Kong, third in the ranking of the world container ports, closed 2010 with the handling of 23,532,000 TEUs, 11, 8% more than last year.


Source: Chamber of Labour Pozzallo

Hong Kong to pass laws to seize Iran-linked assets
19 January 2011
AFP

Hong Kong said Wednesday it was "striving" to pass legislation to comply with UN sanctions against Iran, after 20 shipping firms in the city were accused of being linked to Tehran's weapons buildup.

Last week, the US Treasury Department slapped sanctions on 24 shipping companies, including four in Britain's Isle of Man, accused of being fronts for Iranian businesses involved in Iran's missile programmes.

The firms are allegedly affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which has been slapped with international sanctions.

Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese territory, is awaiting Beijing's final approval to usher in the changes, but China has said it would support the sanctions passed by the UN Security Council in June last year.

At present, Hong Kong cannot seize assets belonging to the IRISL-linked shipping companies without first obtaining a court order.

"We are preparing the necessary subsidiary legislation to... give effect to new sanctions against Iran," Hong Kong's government said in a statement Wednesday, adding it was "striving to complete the work as soon as possible."

The government did not immediately provide details about when it had last sought a court-issued warrant to seize assets.

James To, head of Hong Kong's Legislative Council security panel, said the new laws would be passed in the "very near future".

"The process should be very quick", he told AFP.

"I can see no problem with it all, given that China is a member of the UN Security Council".

The US has stepped up its efforts to isolate Iran-linked commercial entities tied to its military development programmes since the Security Council imposed a fourth set of sanctions against Iran in June 2010.

Observers have said firms dodging sanctions or engaging in other illicit activity often look to Hong Kong for cover given the ease of registering a business in the city, which is also a major shipping hub.

In November, Hong Kong authorities detained a cargo ship linked to IRISL over an alleged loan default with a group of European banks.

Maritime emissions raise concern
18 February 2011
SCMP

The maritime sector could see its contribution to Hong Kong's air pollution rise in percentage terms as noxious emissions from the power sector were cut, the environment chief said yesterday.

Edward Yau Tang-wah, secretary for the environment, said power stations accounted for more than 90 per cent of total sulphur dioxide emissions in Hong Kong last year.

But he said that over three years this would be cut by 66 per cent and fall by a further 50 per cent by 2015 as power producers switched to cleaner fuels such as natural gas and incorporated clean air technology at power plants.

Speaking at a Hong Kong Shipowners' Association lunch yesterday, Yau said the port and shipping industry currently contributed between 7 and 16 per cent to the pollutants mix of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and heavy particulates.

These percentages were likely to increase as pollution levels from the power sector fell, he said.

Yau said as emissions from power stations were tackled, the maritime industry "will be emerging as a more important sector [as a pollution source] at least by percentage".

But while he welcomed a voluntary initiative by container shipping firms such as the Tung family- controlled Orient Overseas Container Line to switch to low-sulphur marine fuel while berthed at Kwai Chung, he gave no timetable for regulatory controls on ship emissions.

Around 15 container lines signed the Fair Winds Charter under which they agreed to switch to low sulphur fuel from January 1 in an effort to put pressure on the government to introduce legislation to limit sulphur dioxide emissions. The voluntary scheme, which is costing some of the lines US$1 million a year in extra fuel costs, will run to December 2012.

Outlining other initiatives, Yau said officials were looking to see if Euro 5 low sulphur diesel could be used in local vessels. There are also plans to incorporate shore-side power at the Kai Tak cruise terminal, which would allow cruise ships to plug in to the Hong Kong electricity network and turn off their engines while docked.

Yau also confirmed that the government was looking at subsiding trials of hybrid buses, as it was the government's long-term goal for a zero-emission bus fleet.

But former shipowners association chairman Peter Cremers called for "bold decisions" because "10 years seems a long time" to see improvements in the air quality. "Pollution is affecting the general business climate in Hong Kong," he said.

Iran cargo ship, seized in Hong Kong, released

TEHRAN, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Iran has secured the release of a container ship seized by authorities in Hong Kong more than three months ago due to sanctions-related problems, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Saturday.

Five vessels operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) were impounded at ports around the world late last year as sanctions on Iran caused European banks to call in loans they had made to IRISL early.

Three ships held in Singapore were released in January. One is still impounded in Malta.

The chairman of the state-owned shipping line, Mohammad Hossein Dajmar, said the loan, from an unidentified German bank, would be repaid and the ship released after more than 100 days in Hong Kong.

"Measures taken for loan settlement with the European bank neutralised the international plot to stop Iran's national shipping line," Dajmar told Fars.

The shipping problems are one symptom of the sanctions which were tightened last year to make it more difficult for Iranian companies to access international banking services. The measures are aimed at forcing Tehran to curb its nuclear programme which many countries fear could be aimed at making weapons, something Tehran denies.

Pacific Basin Shipping 2010 Net Profit Down 5.4%; Outlook Weak
1 March 2011

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Dry-bulk shipper Pacific Basin Shipping Ltd. (2343.HK) said it expects "a weaker 2011" following a lower-than-expected net profit the previous year, because freight rates will remain under pressure as capacity growth continues to outpace demand growth in the industry.

The company, which is the world's largest operator of modern handysize vessels, said Tuesday its net profit for the 12 months ended Dec. 31 was down 5.4% at US$104.3 million, compared with US$110.3 million in 2009, as impairment losses on investments and provisions for derivative instruments outweighed higher freight rates amid a recovery in global demand for raw materials.

The result was below the average US$118.1 million net profit forecast of 12 analysts polled earlier by Thomson Reuters.

Pacific Basin Chief Executive Klaus Nyborg told reporters that despite an improvement in global demand, the company expects a weaker dry-bulk shipping market in 2011, as excessive new vessel deliveries in the industry will pressure freight rates.

The company expects global dry-bulk shipping capacity to rise 15% to 18% in 2011, which would likely weigh on recovery in the dry-bulk shipping sector, said Nyborg.

As of Feb. 17, the shipping operator's core handysize fleet had contracts secured for 47% of the total revenue days in 2011, or the number of days its ships are in service, at about US$13,340 a day. The average revenue for its handysize fleet was US$16,750 a day in 2010.

Handysize vessels, which have a capacity of less than 40,000 deadweight tons each, are the smallest of the four categories of dry-bulk ships. Such ships can navigate shallow waters such as rivers

Nyborg said the company plans to reduce its capital spending for new vessels this year by around 68% to US$159 million from around US$500 million a year earlier, as a large portion of the company's new ship deliveries will begin in 2012, reducing the capital expenditure for the company in the near term.

He added the company doesn't have any plan to boost capacity by purchasing more ships.

In 2010, the company's revenue rose 33% to US$1.27 billion from US$950.5 million. It recommended a final dividend of 16.5 HK cents, up from 15 HK cents a year earlier.

Shipping company seeks opportunities in market weakness
7 March 2011
South China Morning Post

Surging new ship deliveries and fewer cargoes are exerting downward pressure on freight rates, and with the dry bulk cargo market left in the doldrums as a result, now might not be thought of as the best time to consider fleet expansion.

But with a war chest of around US$1 billion to spend on ship acquisitions, Pacific Basin Shipping's Klaus Nyborg believes adversity could bring opportunity for the group.

The chief executive of one of Hong Kong's largest shipowners, Nyborg says owners who ordered vessels in the last two or three years at relatively high prices may not have the same cash reserves to weather the present poorer market conditions.

"They don't have the same cash balances as they did in 2008-2009, which followed six or seven years of high earnings," Nyborg said.

As a result they could be forced to sell their vessels at a discount while the ships are still under construction at shipyards. Or they could forfeit their initial deposits, allowing shipyards to deliver to cashed-up owners willing to take delivery 12-24 months ahead of the normal length of time between placing an order for a ship and delivery.

"We'll see more opportunities this year," Nyborg predicted.

With a fleet of 113 "handysize" and "handymax" dry cargo ships (ranging between 25,000 and 64,999 deadweight tonnes or DWT, a measure of total carrying capacity), Pacific Basin Shipping is already the world's largest operator of modern handysize tonnage. These ships provide the backbone of the firm's fleet, which includes post-panamax bulk carriers, tugs, barges and roll-on/roll-off truck and trailer vessels.

While there is no official definition in terms of exact tonnages, handysize typically refers to a dry bulk vessel of about 15,000 to 35,000 DWT. Handymax bulkers are typically 35,000 to 58,000 DWT and a panamax cargo ship would typically be 65,000 to 80,000 tonnes DWT.

Pacific Basin also has 22 dry cargo vessels on order, including six 35,000 DWT handysize bulk carriers to be built by mainland yard Jiangmen Nanyang Ship Engineering at a total cost of US$153 million; and four 58,100 DWT handymax ships from Tsuneishi Group (Zhoushan) Shipbuilding at US$131.4 million.

Altogether Pacific Basin has capital commitments totalling US$411 million for these and other ships already on order. This compares with US$703 million in cash, future operating cash flows, and new borrowings, along with around US$300 million in bank borrowings that have yet to be fully drawn down. And unlike other dry bulk companies, Pacific Basin has seen no charterers walk away from existing ship lease agreements.

"We are well positioned with no counterparty defaults, a very robust business model and one of the strongest balance sheets. This has set us up for significant expansion in 2012 (when the new vessels are delivered) and corresponds with the excessive order book [of new vessels] tapering off," Nyborg said.

Nyborg thought owners of older, less fuel efficient handysize ships, would be more likely to scrap tonnage as their operating costs were now equal to or higher than charter rates of around US$10,000-US$13,500 per day.

Li’s Hutchison Port Said to Raise $5.4 Billion in Singapore IPO
By Fox Hu - Mar 10, 2011 9:50 PM ET

Li Ka-shing’s Hutchison Port Holdings Trust expects to raise $5.4 billion in Southeast Asia’s biggest initial public offering, according to three people with knowledge of the transaction.

The company, which manages Chinese port assets for billionaire Li’s Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., plans to sell about 5.4 billion units in a trust at $1.01 each, after offering them at 99 cents to $1.03, said the people, who declined to be identified before an announcement.

Hutchison Port’s sale will likely surpass the $4 billion raised in Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (ST)’s 1993 IPO, previously the city-state’s largest, and Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd. (PCHEM)’s $4.1 billion initial offering in November in Malaysia. Asian companies are struggling to raise the maximum amount sought in IPOs after stocks in the region fell this year.

The units were initially offered at 91 cents to $1.08 each before the price range was narrowed. DBS Group Holdings Ltd. (DBS), Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) are managing the sale. Hutchison Whampoa spokeswoman Laura Cheung wasn’t immediately available to comment.

Investors are cooling on Asian equities as unrest in the Middle East pushes oil prices higher and accelerating inflation from China to India prompts central banks to boost borrowing costs. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index has slipped 2 percent this year after gaining 14 percent in 2010.

Cornerstone Holders

China Hongqiao Group Ltd., the country’s largest privately owned aluminum producer, in January scrapped a plan to raise as much as $2.2 billion from a Hong Kong IPO, citing “deterioration in market conditions,” according to a Jan. 31 filing to the city’s stock exchange. China Kingstone Mining Holdings Ltd. will sell stock in Hong Kong at the low end of a price range, according to a term sheet for the deal.

Companies have sold $2.8 billion of IPO shares in the Asia-Pacific region this year, compared with $18.5 billion in the first quarter of 2010, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

Hutchison Port Holdings Trust will own assets including container terminals in Hong Kong and neighboring Guangdong province. Hutchison will manage the trust and retain a 25 percent stake, according to a Jan. 18 statement.

Cornerstone investors led by Capital Research & Management Co. and Paulson & Co. will invest $1.62 billion in the IPO, according to the prospectus filed with the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Capital Research will invest $634 million in the offering, according to the term sheet. Paulson & Co., managed by John Paulson, will buy a $350 million stake and Lone Pine Capital LCC will invest $186 million, it said. Jenkin Hui and family, Singapore’s state investment company Temasek Holdings Pte, Cathay Life Insurance Co. and Metropolitan Financial Services Ltd. will each invest $100 million, and Ally Holding Ltd. will buy a $50 million stake.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-11/li-ka-shing-s-hutchison-port-said-to-raise-5-4-billion-in-singapore-ipo.html

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS March 14, 2011, 1:23PM ET

Seaspan 4Q profit rises on items, new ships

NEW YORK

Seaspan Corp., which operates container shipping in Hong Kong, said Monday its profit climbed 90 percent in the fourth quarter as it expanded its fleet of vessels and one-time items boosted its income.

The company said it expects to raise its dividend by 50 percent this year. That would increase its quarterly dividend to 18.75 cents, or 75 cents per year.

In addition, it said it will invest $100 million in a new venture being formed by The Carlyle Group, Tiger Group Investments Ltd., and Dennis R. Washington. The venture will invest as much as $900 million in container ship assets. It will invest mostly in newly built ships strategic to China and surrounding countries.

Seaspan said CEO Gerry Wang will have a senior leadership role with the investment venture. The company also extended its employment agreement with Wang, saying he will remain CEO through Jan. 1, 2013. After that he will remain with the company as co-chairman.

Its shares rose 20 cents to $15.61 in midday trading Monday

Seaspan reported its net income grew to $141 million, or $1.60 per share, after paying preferred dividends from $74.7 million, or 78 cents per share, a year ago. Excluding items like changes in the fair value of financial instruments and interest expenses, it said its earnings amounted to 31 cents per share.

Revenue rose 50 percent to $117.9 million from $78.6 million.

Analysts expected earnings of 32 cents per share on revenue of $117.3 million, according to estimates compiled by FactSet.

The company said it accepted delivery of 13 vessels in 2010, increasing its fleet to 55 at the end of the year. Two of the vessels were delivered during the fourth quarter. Seaspan said it received two additional vessels in January.

In 2010, the company lost $86.3 million, or $1.70 per share, after preferred dividends in contrast to net income of $145.3 million, or $1.75 per share, in 2009. Revenue rose 43 percent, to $407.2 million from $285.6 million.

Smugglers take $32m hit
The Standard
Tuesday, March 15, 2011

http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/201103/14/P201103140199_photo_1025235.JPG

http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/201103/14/P201103140199_photo_1025236.JPG

About 29,000 computer hard-disk drives are among goods worth HK$32 million seized by customs officers in their latest operation against smuggling by sea.

The other items include 10.8 tonnes of electrolytic nickel and 10 million integrated circuits, customs special task force divisional commander Chan Tsz-tat said yesterday.

The unmanifested goods were hidden in a container carrying so- called "polyethylene balls." It was one of several containers carried by a river trade vessel leaving for Shunde, Guangdong.

The vessel was stopped and searched by officers off Black Point, Tuen Mun, at about 8pm on Saturday.

Chan said officers knew the lot number of the container involved had been altered before it was loaded onto the vessel.

The discovery resulted from a weeklong probe following an intelligence report.

The captain and a crew member were detained for questioning, but later released after an initial investigation found they were not involved.

Chan said the investigation is continuing.

Queen Mary pushed to a far-from-royal berth out of town
20 March 2011
SCMP

It was bad enough that it was raining when the Queen Mary 2 arrived in Hong Kong yesterday from Shanghai, but things only got worse as it could not be found a berth in the harbour and had to dock out at Junk Bay in Sai Kung instead.

The world's largest transatlantic ocean liner was only staying here for one night and travels to Nha Trang in Vietnam today. For the 2,500 passengers and 1,250 crew on board, it was a far from ideal way of visiting the city. Built in 2003 by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, the Queen Mary 2 is the longest, widest and tallest passenger liner ever built.

Its captain, Commodore Bernard Warner, revealed that the ship had been offered a berth for up to 12 hours at the Kowloon container terminal, but that was not long enough because the ship was staying in Hong Kong for 24 hours.

"It's not perfect but there's just no berth available to us this year at the container terminals and we're too big to be using the Ocean Terminal. We tried all we could to get the berth but we weren't offered one in the end," Warner said.

"We're managing with it as best as we can, but it would have been great to have been in the city. Not just for us but so as the people of Hong Kong could see the ship too. It's the biggest ocean liner in the world - 345 metres long and over 150,000 gross tonnes - and is quite a sight."

Warner hoped that the new passenger terminal in Kowloon, which is due to be built by 2013, would make a big difference, but for now they would have to make do.

"It's not the best experience that our guests can have. The fact that it's raining makes it doubly worse," Warner said. "The guests are definitely surprised that we can't get a berth in Hong Kong - in fact that would be an understatement - but we have to make the best of it."

Warner first came to Hong Kong in 1966 and has been on the Queen Mary since 2005.

On the previous occasions the ship has visited Hong Kong it has had an appropriate berth in town.

While in Hong Kong the ship is being handled by the Wallem ship agency, and its operations manager, Kam-foo Chan, explained there was little that could be done.

"There were no berths available. It's a surprise but there was nothing that could be done about it. The container berths are very, very busy at the moment so nothing could be organised. It's very unfortunate. This has never happened before," he said.

The Queen Mary 2 cost £460 million (HK$5.8 billion) to build and its facilities include 15 restaurants and bars, five swimming pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theatre, and the first planetarium at sea. There are also kennels on board and a nursery.

It is also one of the few ships afloat today to have remnants of a class system on board, most prominently seen in her dining options.

After Vietnam the Queen Mary 2 will sail to Bangkok, Singapore, India and Dubai.

Maersk Line to cut stops in HK, divert to Nansha

HONG KONG, March 25 (Reuters) - Maersk Line, the world's largest container-shipping company and a unit of Danish A.P. Moller-Maersk AS , will cut the number of ship calls at Hong Kong by about a quarter from April, one of the biggest changes for the world's third-busiest port in years.

Maersk Line confirmed a newspaper report that it would cut the number of ships calling at Hong Kong but said there would be an estimated drop of about 25 percent, rather than the one-third reduction reported by the South China Morning Post on Friday.

"Maersk Line anticipates a drop from 30 weekly calls to 22-23 weekly calls at Hong Kong," Maersk China managing director Jens Eskelund told Reuters by email.

The business would be transferred to Guangzhou South China Oceangate Container Terminal, partly owned by Maersk affiliate APM Terminals, in the southern Chinese port of Nansha, the newspaper said.

But Eskelund said only half of that drop was attributable to the Nansha move and half attributable to rationalisation of the company's Hong Kong coverage.

"The transfer of some services to Nansha to serve our customers in the West Pearl River Delta is having a somewhat less dramatic impact than one would think after reading below," he said.

Maersk intended to create a third major gateway at Nansha to augment its South China gateways at Yantian and Hong Kong, the newspaper quoted Soren Karas, head of South China for Maersk Line, as saying.

All the vessels calling at Hong Kong are handled by Wharf Holdings Ltd unit Modern Terminals, whose berths at Container Terminal 9 are almost a dedicated Maersk Line facility.

"We share the view with Maersk of the strategic importance of South China and we have a long-term and successful working history with Maersk in Hong Kong and Shenzhen's Da Chan Bay and this will continue," said Modern Terminals spokeswoman Joel Cheung.

She did not comment further on the change.

Hong Kong's container port has seen more cargoes in China's Pearl River Delta shift to Shenzhen and Guangzhou ports, which are closer to manufacturing bases and have cheaper handling costs.

Vessel meets safety standards of Hong Kong
Friday, April 8, 2011
Government Press Release

Screening for radioactivity on board an ocean-going cargo vessel in a designated anchorage adjacent to the southern boundary of Hong Kong waters this morning (April 8) confirmed that the vessel met the safety standards of Hong Kong.

A free pratique has been issued for the vessel, MOL PRESENCE, to berth in Hong Kong.

Conducted by staff from Port Health Office (PHO) of the Department of Health, the screening was an extra step of caution to ensure that the container vessel was indeed safe for berthing at our container terminal for cargo unloading.

A Government spokesman said, "Updated information re-submitted by the shipping company yesterday for application of a free pratique to enter Hong Kong showed that all radioactivity readings measured were below Hong Kong's intervention level for surface decontamination.

"This followed the submission of an earlier set of information on April 4 which contained data suggestive of exceedances of radioactivity levels at some locations, though not above levels expected to pose risk to Hong Kong's public health."

Thus, to be prudent, due inspection including radiation screening of the vessel, the crew and containers had been conducted before the free pratique was issued by PHO earlier today.

The vessel will proceed to berth alongside Kwai Chung Container Terminal for cargo unloading.

Customs and Excise Department will conduct radioactivity scanning of the cargoes according to established procedure.

MOL PRESENCE underwent decontamination and subsequent radioactivity reassessment in Kobe, Japan after it was found to have radiation contamination by Xiamen port authority in late March.

Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for fourth quarter of 2010
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Government Press Release

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (March 8) released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the fourth quarter of 2010.

In the fourth quarter of 2010, total port cargo throughput increased by 8% over a year earlier to 70.0 million tonnes. Within this total, both inward and outward port cargo rose by 8% to 39.8 million tonnes and 30.1 million tonnes respectively.

For 2010 as a whole, total port cargo throughput increased by 10% over a year earlier to 267.8 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 11% and 10% to 154.3 million tonnes and 113.6 million tonnes respectively.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 3% in the fourth quarter of 2010. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo went up by 2% and 6% respectively. The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.

Port cargo

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo increased by 11% over a year earlier to 47.0 million tonnes, while river cargo also rose by 3% to 23.0 million tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 3% and 14% in the fourth quarter of 2010 over a year earlier to 20.9 million tonnes and 18.9 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment increased by 12% and 7% over a year earlier to 10.9 million tonnes and 19.2 million tonnes respectively.

Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo increased by 13% and 5% in 2010 over 2009 to 182.0 million tonnes and 85.8 million tonnes respectively.

Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 5% and 18% in 2010 over 2009 to 79.7 million tonnes and 74.5 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment increased by 1% and 15% to 38.9 million tonnes and 74.6 million tonnes respectively.

The detailed port cargo statistics are summarised in Table 1.

The main countries/territories of loading for inward port cargo and countries/territories of discharge for outward port cargo are shown in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively.

Comparing the fourth quarter of 2010 with the fourth quarter of 2009, increases were registered in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in most main countries/territories of loading, with the four most significant increases recorded for Malaysia (+36%), Japan (+31%), Korea (+23%) and Vietnam (+23%). Over the same period, increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in most main countries/territories of discharge, with the three most significant increases recorded for Indonesia (+68%), Malaysia (+65%) and Korea (+33%).

Comparing 2010 with 2009, increases were registered in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in most main countries/territories of loading, with the three most significant increases recorded for Japan (+29%), the mainland of China (+24%) and Malaysia (+21%). Over the same period, increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in most main countries/territories of discharge, with the three most significant increases recorded for Indonesia (+58%), Malaysia (+55%) and Korea (+43%).

The principal commodities for inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5.

Comparing the fourth quarter of 2010 with the fourth quarter of 2009, double-digit increases were recorded in inward port cargo of "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+24%), "machinery" (+16%), "iron and steel" (+12%) and "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (+10%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded for "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+23%), "machinery" (+16%), "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+12%) and "iron and steel" (+11%).

Comparing 2010 with 2009, double-digit increases were recorded in inward port cargo of "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+38%), "machinery" (+30%) and "iron and steel" (+25%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded for "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+29%), "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+29%), "machinery" (+27%) and "iron and steel" (+24%).

Containers

In the fourth quarter of 2010, the port of Hong Kong handled 6.1 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 9% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers increased by 10% to 5.1 million TEUs, while empty containers also rose by 3% to 0.9 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 13% to 2.5 million TEUs, while outward containers also rose by 8% to 2.6 million TEUs.

In 2010, the port of Hong Kong handled 23.7 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 13% over 2009. Within this total, laden containers went up by 13% to 20.0 million TEUs, while empty containers also increased by 12% to 3.7 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 14% to 9.9 million TEUs, while outward containers also rose by 12% to 10.1 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 3% in the fourth quarter of 2010. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers increased by 4% and 2% respectively.

Seaborne laden containers increased by 15% in the fourth quarter of 2010 over a year earlier to 3.8 million TEUs, while river laden containers decreased by 1% to 1.4 million TEUs.

Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment increased by 7% and 16% in the fourth quarter of 2010 over a year earlier to 0.9 million TEUs and 1.7 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment increased by 7% and 8% to 0.9 million TEUs and 1.7 million TEUs respectively.

In 2010, seaborne and river laden containers increased by 15% and 7% over 2009 to 14.6 million TEUs and 5.4 million TEUs respectively.

Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment increased by 8% and 18% in 2010 over 2009 to 3.4 million TEUs and 6.5 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment increased by 7% and 14% to 3.4 million TEUs and 6.7 million TEUs respectively.

The detailed container statistics are summarised in Table 6.

Port cargo and laden container statistics are compiled from a sample of consignments listed in the cargo manifests supplied by shipping companies and agents to the C&SD.

Vessel arrivals

In the fourth quarter of 2010, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 1% over a year earlier to 8 420, with the total capacity increasing by 13% to 105.7 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 4% over a year earlier to 45 830, with the total capacity increasing by 12% to 28.0 million net registered tons.

In 2010, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 2% over 2009 to 32 650, with the total capacity increasing by 6% to 401.8 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 4% over a year earlier to 179 170, with the total capacity increasing by 12% to 109.0 million net registered tons.

The statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong are given in Table 7.

Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters and authorised shipping agents. Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.

Tables : http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/201103/08/P201103080140_0140_76217.pdf

Orient Overseas: To Buy Four Vessels For US$544 Mln
9 May 2011

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Container shipper Orient Overseas (International) Ltd. (0316.HK) said Monday it agreed to buy four more container vessels from Samsung Heavy Industries Co. (010140.SE) for US$544 million.

The purchase came after the container shipper in March ordered six container vessels from the Korean shipbuilder for US$816 million.

Orient Overseas, which is controlled by the family of former Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, said in a statement four of its wholly owned units will buy the four vessels for US$136 million each.

The vessels, with a capacity of approximately 13,000 twenty-foot equivalent units each, are scheduled to be delivered between 2013 and 2014, it said.

Hong Kong shipping delegation to visit Republic of Korea
29 May 2011

HONG KONG, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Secretary for Transport and Housing of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Eva Cheng will lead a shipping delegation to the Republic of Korea on Monday to promote Hong Kong as an international maritime center and a premier hub port, the city's government said Sunday in a statement.

The delegation comprises members of the Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council and the Hong Kong Port Development Council, industry leaders and the transport constituency's legislative councilor Miriam Lau.

Cheng will call on the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs of the Republic of Korea, as well as four leading Korean shipping companies -- SK Shipping, STX Pan Ocean, Hyundai Merchant Marine and Hanjin Shipping. The four companies together own or operate about 800 container vessels, bulk carriers and tankers.

The Hong Kong delegation will attend a seminar entitled " Maritime Hong Kong -- Experts with Worldwide Connections" and an industry luncheon to be held in Seoul on May 31. Delegation members will speak about Hong Kong's strengths in different areas of the maritime industry, and Cheng will deliver a keynote speech at the luncheon.

The delegation will also visit the South Korean Maritime Institute, South Korean Shipbuilders' Association, South Korea Maritime University and South Korea's busiest container port Busan Port.

Speech by STH at a shipping community luncheon in Korea
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Government Press Release

The following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at a luncheon after a seminar entitled "Maritime Hong Kong - Experts with Worldwide Connections" for the shipping community in Seoul, Korea, today (May 31):

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon. I am honoured to have this opportunity to speak to the leaders of the Korean maritime and related industries. First let me thank you all for coming to the seminar this morning. I hope that the presentations on what Hong Kong can offer have showcased how Hong Kong can be your close partner in the maritime world and help your businesses expand.

Over the years, Hong Kong and Korea have been active partners in trade. In 2010, bilateral trade grew year on year by 28%, amounting to over US$21 billion. Over 180 Korean firms base their regional headquarters and offices in Hong Kong. Korean brand names have infiltrated every part of Hong Kong life. Samsung and LG are popular choices when we shop for electronic appliances ranging from LED TVs and mobile phones to tablets. Korea is a popular holiday destination for Hong Kong people. And Korean TV drama series, films and pop songs have won extremely faithful following in Hong Kong. Out of popular demand, some of our channels show Korean drama series during prime time and all your famous actors and actresses now speak fluent Cantonese on TV!

The Hong Kong and Korean maritime sectors have also developed a close, although not necessarily high profile, relationship. A considerable number of vessels owned by Hong Kong shipowners were Korean made. Each day, there are on average six sailings of container vessels between Hong Kong and Korea. Indeed, both Hong Kong and Korea are considered among the strongest maritime players in Asia. You are the third largest maritime nation in terms of merchant shipping capacity in Asia. You have since 2003 become the world's top shipbuilder and are the home of seven of the top 10 shipbuilders. Hanjin Shipping is amongst the global top 10 container carriers and Busan Port is the world's fifth busiest container port. These are truly remarkable achievements. Hong Kong also plays an important role in the international shipping scene. Hong Kong shipowners control about 9% of the world's merchant fleet. Our shipping register is now the world's fourth largest in terms of gross tonnage of vessels registered. The Hong Kong Port ranked third in terms of container throughput in 2010.

In addition to a quick rebound after the financial tsunami in 2008, Korean trade is expected to further expand in tandem with the global economic recovery as well as the increasing demand amongst Asian economies. Your maritime industry is therefore bound for continuous growth and expansion. I believe that Hong Kong is well positioned to be your partner in taking advantage of new opportunities ahead. It is therefore high time our maritime sectors thought about expanding their partnerships to a new dimension.

I am saying this with confidence. As a world-class services hub, our full range of first-rate professionals has been serving the needs of maritime industry players and their overseas counterparts for decades. Enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness as a premier international maritime centre always ranks high on the Hong Kong Government's agenda. This positioning is strongly supported by the Central People's Government (CPG) of the People's Republic of China. In its "Outline of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan for the National Economic and Social Development" newly released in March 2011 to map out the national development strategy for the period of 2011 to 2015, the CPG pledges its unequivocal support for Hong Kong to consolidate and enhance our position as an international shipping centre.

What Hong Kong Can Offer

Strategically located on the Far East trade routes, Hong Kong has over the years established itself as a renowned maritime centre and trading hub. Our "Big Market, Small Government" philosophy and entrepreneurial attitude have created a transparent, fair and friendly environment for businesses. We have been ranked the world's freest economy for 17 consecutive years by the Heritage Foundation. We, together with the US, were just ranked the most competitive economy by the International Institute for Management Development for the first time. The Basic Law, our mini constitution, has preserved the conditions for our success. Our rule of law is underpinned by an independent judiciary, a clean government, free flow of capital and information, and a freely convertible currency. Our low and simple tax regime - profits tax at 16.5% on Hong Kong-sourced income only - and our status as a financial hub and free port continue to make Hong Kong the best place for business, including the maritime industry. More importantly, we treat all enterprises, local or foreign, equal and there are no strings attached to any investment made.

Hardware-wise, our natural deep-sea port provides home to our container port, which is one of the busiest worldwide and recorded a throughput of 23.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units in 2010. The Hong Kong Port is served by some 400 sailings per week reaching 480 destinations worldwide. Last year, there were over 210 000 vessel arrivals, of which about 57% were cargo vessels. The round-the-clock operation of the 24 berths at our nine container terminals is one of the most efficient worldwide and is well complemented by auxiliary facilities with deep marine frontage. In anticipation of future growth in cargo volume, we are conducting a preliminary feasibility study on developing a 10th container terminal near the existing ones. We are also undertaking a project to dredge our Kwai Tsing container basin so that we can accommodate the new generation of ultra-large container ships at all tides.

On the service side, our strong cluster of shipowners has anchored a myriad of maritime and related services in Hong Kong. Today, there are about 700 shipping-related companies calling our city home. A comprehensive range of high quality services in ship management, ship broking, marine insurance, legal services, arbitration, ship finance, ship surveying to ship registration are provided without geographical or time zone limits. Most of these areas have been covered by our speakers this morning.

Separately, I have earlier mentioned that the Hong Kong Shipping Register is currently the world's fourth largest. Apart from having an impressive gross tonnage, it also has an excellent reputation as a register that maintains a high quality. As at mid-May, the Hong Kong fleet consisted of 1 800 ships with a total gross registered tonnage of some 60 million. Hong Kong-flagged ships have a very low detention rate, just 1.64% in 2010 under the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control, against a world average of 5.48%. To help reduce the operating cost of ships flying the Hong Kong flag, all carriage income from Hong Kong uplift and proceeding to outside Hong Kong is exempt from Hong Kong profits tax.

I hope that my delegates and I have successfully taken the opportunity to introduce to you the wide range of quality maritime services in Hong Kong that are at your service and why you should partner with us. I will not go into the details of the individual service areas again suffice to highlight the following aspects: Hong Kong has the legal framework and professional network for arbitrations to be conducted in accordance with international standards. Most of the banks which are active in ship financing have a presence in Hong Kong. We are also home to most of the leading insurers and P&I clubs. According to the International Union of Marine Insurance, marine insurance premiums handled in Hong Kong totalled US$323 million in 2009, which is among the highest in Asian economies. And Hong Kong is one of the regional bases for conducting sale and purchase broking of ships with non-Hong Kong based shipowners in other Asian countries.

Closing Remarks

With the depth and breadth of our maritime services and our ever improving connectivity, you can rest assured that whether you want to raise capital in Hong Kong for your ships, or find an agency there to manage your ships, or set up shop there to extend your global reach, you will be working with the best-performing teams and enjoying the most efficient transport network for goods and personnel alike. The delegation with me today comprises the movers and shakers of the Hong Kong maritime sector and they are close partners of the HKSAR Government. Why would these busy people, leaders of their own right in the maritime field, take time off their busy schedule and join the Hong Kong Government on this delegation? I would have hoped it is my personal charm but I do have the good sense to know that's not the reason. They are here to give personal testimony as users and providers of our world class maritime service. I hope that you will get to know them and learn about Hong Kong, their businesses and what Hong Kong can offer. May today's friendly networking be the beginning of rewarding partnerships that make a difference in your smooth sailing in the maritime world.

Thank you.

Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for first quarter of 2011
Government Press Release
Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (June 9) released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the first quarter of 2011.

In the first quarter of 2011, total port cargo throughput recorded virtually no change over a year earlier at 62.7 million tonnes. Within this total, both inward and outward port cargo recorded virtually no change at 35.9 million tonnes and 26.8 million tonnes respectively.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 4% in the first quarter of 2011. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo decreased by 5% and 2% respectively. The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.

Port cargo

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo increased by 3% over a year earlier to 43.2 million tonnes, while river cargo decreased by 6% to 19.5 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2011.

Within inward port cargo, imports decreased by 2% in the first quarter of 2011 over a year earlier to 18.3 million tonnes, while inward transhipment increased by 1% to 17.6 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) decreased by 3% over a year earlier to 9.2 million tonnes, while outward transhipment increased by 2% to 17.6 million tonnes.

The detailed port cargo statistics are summarised in Table 1 (http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/201106/09/P201106090181_0181_80017.pdf).

The main countries/territories of loading for inward port cargo and countries/territories of discharge for outward port cargo are shown in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively.

Comparing the first quarter of 2011 with the first quarter of 2010, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (+17%), Korea (+15%), Vietnam (+15%) and Malaysia (+12%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the United States of America (-16%) and Singapore (-15%). Over the same period, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Indonesia (+62%), the Philippines (+16%), Malaysia (+15%) and Vietnam (+11%). On the other hand, a double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the United States of America (-17%).

The principal commodities for inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5.

Comparing the first quarter of 2011 with the first quarter of 2010, a double-digit decrease was recorded in inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-11%). As for outward port cargo, a double-digit increase was recorded for "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+54%).

Containers

In the first quarter of 2011, the port of Hong Kong handled 5.5 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 1% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers recorded virtually no change at 4.6 million TEUs, while empty containers rose by 5% to 0.9 million TEUs. Among laden containers, both inward and outward containers recorded virtually no change at 2.3 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 2% in the first quarter of 2011. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 4% and 1% respectively.

Seaborne laden containers recorded virtually no change at 3.3 million TEUs in the first quarter of 2011 over a year earlier, while river laden containers decreased by 1% to 1.2 million TEUs.

Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 6% to 0.7 million TEUs in the first quarter of 2011 over a year earlier, while inward transhipment increased by 3% to 1.6 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports decreased by 4% to 0.7 million TEUs, while outward transhipment increased by 2% to 1.5 million TEUs.

The detailed container statistics are summarised in Table 6.

Port cargo and laden container statistics are compiled from a sample of consignments listed in the cargo manifests supplied by shipping companies and agents to the C&SD.

Vessel arrivals

In the first quarter of 2011, the number of ocean vessel arrivals recorded virtually no change over a year earlier at 8 030, with the total capacity increasing by 10% to 102.2 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals also recorded virtually no change at 43 170, with the total capacity increasing by 2% to 26.0 million net registered tons.

The statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong are given in Table 7.

Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters and authorised shipping agents. Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.

Pictorial exhibition introduces Hong Kong's shipbuilding and ship repair industry
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Government Press Release

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The buildings on the opposite side of the harbour in this photo taken in the 1890s are the Whampoa Dock in Hung Hom.

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The first steamship built by the Taikoo Dockyard, S.S. Shansi, ready to launch in 1910.

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Taikoo Dockyard in 1965.

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A shipbuilding platform in Whampoa Dock in 1965.

Thanks to the favourable anchorage conditions of Hong Kong, the city quickly developed into a shipping hub in the mid-19th century, and the related shipbuilding and ship repair industry boomed as well. After decades of social and economic development, those dockyards, which had once sprung up along the coasts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, are now located at the western part of Victoria Harbour, where they continue to serve the city's shipping industry and economy.

People who are interested in revisiting the glorious history of major dockyards should not miss the exhibition "Dockyards of Hong Kong: Pictorial Exhibition on Hong Kong's Shipbuilding and Repair Industry", currently on show at the Hong Kong Museum of History until October 17.

Organised by the Hong Kong Museum of History, the exhibition features 80 valuable historical photographs and glass negatives, some of which were selected from the donation of the Hongkong United Dockyards Limited (HUD), and reviews the development of the dockyards as port facilities and that of the shipbuilding and ship repair industry in Hong Kong. These images span World War II and faithfully document the development of the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company, Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company, and HUD.

After having been totally dependent in the era of sailing ships on the seasonal monsoon winds, ocean trade was transformed by the advent of the steam engine - in particular by the later improvements in engine fuel efficiency that meant less coal needed to be consumed - and from the 1860s onwards the iron-hulled, propeller-driven steamship became the major player in ocean shipping. This development was accompanied by several other factors such as the opening up of the trading ports in China and the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869. The latter reduced the transit time between Hong Kong and Britain from over 110 days to about 30 days, and trade between Europe and Asia grew rapidly. All of this contributed to a rise in demand for repair services for ocean-going steamships.

A port providing berths for cargo liners must be close to the centre of commercial and trade activities. It must also offer deep water, shelter from strong winds and a firm seabed suitable for anchoring. In the mid-19th century, Hong Kong was the only port along the coast of Guangdong that met those criteria, and thanks to its favourable geographical location, it quickly developed into a shipping hub. Seeing the potential for lucrative profits in the shipping industry, British companies based in Hong Kong started to get involved in maritime transportation and related businesses, which included setting up dockyards to repair ships passing through Hong Kong. The Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company was founded in 1863, while Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company was set up in 1902. The city's dockyard businesses were the most sophisticated in the China coast region and came to represent one of the most important investments that British merchants in Asia made in the shipping industry. However, by the mid-20th century competition was increasing in the region, so in 1972 the two dockyards merged to form HUD and relocated to new premises on Tsing Yi.

In addition, Yiu Lian Dockyards and Euroasia Shipyard opened for business in the early 1980s, also on Tsing Yi's western coast, to provide repair services for ocean-going vessels. The two companies were acquired by China Merchants Group Limited in 1997, and since then Hong Kong's shipbuilding and repair industries have been dominated by two major players.

The shipbuilding and repair industry of Hong Kong was once the city's most important heavy industry, employing a large workforce and supporting trade and transportation as well as marine rescue work. Today the industry continues to serve vessels passing through Hong Kong and helps our shipping sector to maintain its competitive edge.

The Hong Kong Museum of History is located at 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. It opens from 10am to 6pm on Mondays to Saturdays and from 10am to 7pm on Sundays and public holidays. It is closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays). Admission is free for this exhibition.

For details of the exhibition, please visit the Museum's website, hk.history.museum, or call 2724 9042.

By kaiman1013 from a Hong Kong discussion forum (http://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=14908263&extra=page%3D1) :

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Customs seizes ivory tusks smuggled in by sea
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Government Press Release

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Customs officers yesterday (August 29) seized 794 pieces of African ivory tusk inside a container shipped to Hong Kong.

Customs officers yesterday (August 29) seized 794 pieces of African ivory tusks, weighing 1,898 kilogrammes, inside a container shipped to Hong Kong. The tusks were worth about $13 million.

Based on intelligence analysis, officers of the Ports and Maritime Command examined a container shipped to Hong Kong via Malaysia. The consignment was declared as non-ferrous products for factory use. Upon examination, Customs officers found the batch of ivory tusks concealed by stones. A 66-year-old man was arrested. Follow-up investigation is still going on.

Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing unmanifested cargoes is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

In addition, under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of trading endangered species for commercial purposes is liable to a maximum fine of $5 million and imprisonment for two years.

HK acquires Qualship 21 status
Monday, August 1, 2011
Government Press Release

The quality of ships flying the Hong Kong flag has been further confirmed as Hong Kong was among the six flag administrations added this year to the Qualship 21 programme.

The Qualship 21 programme, or the Quality Shipping for the 21st Century programme in full, is an initiative that has been implemented by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) since 2001.

A flag state qualifies for Qualship 21 status after its ships have attained a USCG Port State Control (PSC) three years' rolling average detention ratio of less than 1.0 per cent, with at least 10 distinct arrivals each year. In addition, the flag state shall have undergone the International Maritime Organization's Voluntary Member State Audit Scheme (VMSAS) with effective implementation of corrective actions.

The Qualship 21 programme aims to eliminate the operation of substandard ships by providing incentives to owners who maintain quality operations. Ships qualified under the programme are subject to fewer PSC inspections by the USCG while in US waters.

A Marine Department spokesman said today (August 1) that the USCG recognised Hong Kong as a quality flag under the programme because Hong Kong-registered ships visiting US ports had performed excellently in PSC inspections in the past three years.

It is estimated that about 5 per cent of the foreign-flagged ships calling at the US qualify for this initiative.

In 2011, the Hong Kong Shipping Register continued to attract quality ships joining the flag. By the end of July, the total gross tonnage of Hong Kong-registered ships reached 63 million gross tonnes, maintaining the Hong Kong Shipping Register as one of the top registers in the world.

Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for second quarter of 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Government Press Release

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (September 6) released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the second quarter of 2011.

In the second quarter of 2011, total port cargo throughput increased by 9% over a year earlier to 73.4 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 8% and 11% to 42.5 million tonnes and 30.9 million tonnes respectively.

For the first half of 2011, total port cargo throughput increased by 5% over a year earlier to 136.1 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 4% and 5% to 78.4 million tonnes and 57.7 million tonnes respectively.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 10% in the second quarter of 2011. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo went up by 11% and 8% respectively. The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.

Port cargo

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo increased by 11% over a year earlier to 51.3 million tonnes, while river cargo also rose by 5% to 22.1 million tonnes in the second quarter of 2011.

Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 3% and 13% in the second quarter of 2011 over a year earlier to 20.7 million tonnes and 21.8 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment also increased by 18% and 7% over a year earlier to 10.8 million tonnes and 20.1 million tonnes respectively.

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo increased by 7% in the first half of 2011 over a year earlier to 94.5 million tonnes, while river cargo recorded virtually no change at 41.6 million tonnes.

Within inward port cargo, imports and inward transhipment increased by 1% and 7% in the first half of 2011 over a year earlier to 39.0 million tonnes and 39.4 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment also increased by 7% and 5% to 20.0 million tonnes and 37.7 million tonnes respectively.

The detailed port cargo statistics are summarised in Table 1.

The main countries/territories of loading for inward port cargo and countries/territories of discharge for outward port cargo are shown in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively.

Comparing the second quarter of 2011 with the second quarter of 2010, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (+41%), Indonesia (+24%), Korea (+24%) and the United States of America (+12%). On the other hand, a double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Thailand (-19%). Over the same period, increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in most main countries/territories of discharge, with the four most significant increases recorded for Indonesia (+55%), Thailand (+40%), Vietnam (+33%) and Korea (+33%).

Comparing the first half of 2011 with the same period in 2010, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (+28%), Indonesia (+21%) and Korea (+19%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Singapore (-11%) and Thailand (-11%). Over the same period, increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in most main countries/territories of discharge, with the three most significant increases recorded for Indonesia (+58%), Vietnam (+23%) and the Philippines (+22%).

The principal commodities for inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5.

Comparing the second quarter of 2011 with the second quarter of 2010, double-digit increases were recorded in inward port cargo of "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (+13%) and "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials; and coal, coke and briquettes" (+10%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded for "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (+28%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (+18%) and "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+10%).

Comparing the first half of 2011 with the same period in 2010, double-digit increases were recorded in outward port cargo of "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+17%) and "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (+12%).

Containers

In the second quarter of 2011, the port of Hong Kong handled 6.4 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 7% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers increased by 8% to 5.5 million TEUs, while empty containers also rose by 2% to 0.9 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 10% to 2.8 million TEUs, while outward containers also rose by 6% to 2.7 million TEUs.

In the first half of 2011, the port of Hong Kong handled 11.9 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 4% over the same period in 2010. Within this total, laden containers went up by 4% to 10.0 million TEUs, while empty containers also increased by 3% to 1.8 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 5% to 5.1 million TEUs, while outward containers also rose by 3% to 4.9 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 8% in the second quarter of 2011. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers rose by 11% and 5% respectively.

Seaborne and river laden containers increased by 10% and 2% in the second quarter of 2011 over a year earlier to 4.1 million TEUs and 1.4 million TEUs respectively.

Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 1% in the second quarter of 2011 over a year earlier to 0.9 million TEUs, while inward transhipment increased by 15% to 1.9 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment increased by 3% and 8% to 0.9 million TEUs and 1.8 million TEUs respectively.

In the first half of 2011, seaborne and river laden containers increased by 5% and 1% over the same period in 2010 to 7.4 million TEUs and 2.6 million TEUs respectively.

Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 3% in the first half of 2011 over a year earlier to 1.6 million TEUs, while inward transhipment increased by 10% to 3.5 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports decreased by 1% to 1.6 million TEUs, while outward transhipment increased by 5% to 3.3 million TEUs.

The detailed container statistics are summarised in Table 6.

Port cargo and laden container statistics are compiled from a sample of consignments listed in the cargo manifests supplied by shipping companies and agents to the C&SD.

Vessel arrivals

In the second quarter of 2011, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 1% over a year earlier to 8 090, with the total capacity also increasing by 6% to 104.4 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 1% over a year earlier to 43 880, with the total capacity increasing by 5% to 28.3 million net registered tons.

In the first half of 2011, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 1% over a year earlier to 16 120, with the total capacity also increasing by 8% to 206.5 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 1% over a year earlier to 87 050, with the total capacity increasing by 3% to 54.3 million net registered tons.

The statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong are given in Table 7.

Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters and authorised shipping agents. Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.

Further information

More detailed statistics on port cargo, containers and vessels are contained in the quarterly report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics".

The April - June 2011 issue of the report will be available by the end of September. Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/statistical_report/external_trade/index_cd_B1020008_dt_detail.jsp).

Enquiries on port cargo and container statistics may be directed to the Shipping and Cargo Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4889 or email: shipping@censtatd.gov.hk). For enquiries about vessel statistics, readers may contact the Statistics Section under the Planning, Development and Port Security Branch of the Marine Department (Tel: 2852 3661 or email: st-sec@mardep.gov.hk).

Tables : http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/201109/06/P201109060166_0166_83559.pdf

By ayui2046 from a Hong Kong photography forum :

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Customs seizes smuggled rhino horns and ivory products
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Government Press Release

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Hong Kong Customs yesterday (November 14) smashed a smuggling case and seized 33 rhino horns, 758 ivory chopsticks and 127 ivory bracelets with a total value of about $17.4 million hidden inside a container shipped to Hong Kong.

Yesterday afternoon, acting on risk assessment, Customs officers selected a container declared to contain 63 packages of "scrap plastic" from a vessel arriving from Cape Town, South Africa, for inspection. Under X-ray examination, officers found 33 rhino horns (weighing 86.54 kg), 758 ivory chopsticks (13.22 kg) and 127 ivory bracelets (9.2 kg) concealed inside a package of plastic scrap placed at the rear end of the container. The investigation is continuing and so far no arrests have been made.

Hong Kong Customs will continue to maintain close contact with overseas law enforcement agencies to exchange intelligence in combating transnational smuggling crimes.

Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing unmanifested cargoes is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

In addition, under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing endangered species for commercial purposes is liable to a maximum fine of $5 million and imprisonment for two years.

:ohno::ohno:

By Nafwerdnax from dchome :

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15 rescued after S. Korean cargo ship sinks south of Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen out of 21 crew members have been rescued after a Korean-flagged cargo ship sank about 338 nautical miles south of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Tuesday.

According to a spokesman of the city's Marine Department, at about 3 p.m. local time on Monday, the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Center (HK MRCC) received a distress alert from the bulk carrier, Bright Ruby, carrying 21 crew members including nine Korean nationals and 12 Myanmar nationals and steel cargo from Penang, Malaysia, to Rizhao on the Chinese Mainland.

It sank at the position 16.33 degrees north latitude and 114 degrees east longitude in the South China Sea.

The spokesman said the fixed-wing planes of the city's Government Flying Service have made three sorties to the scene for the search and rescue operation since Monday afternoon.

So far, eight ships near the scene have responded to the call of the HK MRCC and have been involved in the operation, picking up 15 crew members.

The HK MRCC is continuing to co-ordinate the search and rescue operation for the six crew members who are still missing.

Hong Kong port cargo throughput increases 4 pct in Q3

HONG KONG, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's total port cargo throughput increased by 4 percent over a year earlier to 70.8 million tons in the third quarter of 2011, according to the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) on Tuesday.

C&SD released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2011. Total port cargo throughput increased by 4 percent over a year earlier to 70.8 million tons. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 4r percent and 6 percent to 40.4 million tons and 30.4 million tons respectively.

In the third quarter of 2011, the port of Hong Kong handled 6.4 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 2 percent over a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers increased by 4 percent to 5.4 million TEUs, while empty containers decreased by 5 percent to one million TEUs.

The number of ocean vessel arrivals recorded virtually no change over a year earlier at 8,260, with the total capacity increasing by 3 percent to 108.9 million net registered tons.

Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 6 percent to 42,850, with the total capacity also decreasing by 6 percent to 26.9 million net registered tons.

Mariners reminded to navigate safely as fog season approaches
Government Press Release
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

As the fog season is approaching, the Director of Marine, Mr Francis Liu, reminded all masters, coxswains and persons-in-charge of vessels to make significant speed reductions in restricted visibility.

Speaking at the opening of the 2012 Navigational Safety Seminar at the Hong Kong Space Museum this afternoon (January 11), Mr Liu cautioned that in these days of erratic climate change, it is not surprising if mists or fogs appear out of season. Consequently, navigators should post extra lookouts even when moving at low speed.

Mr Liu said, "In order to ensure the safety of lives at sea in a range of different weather conditions experienced during the year in Hong Kong, vessel owners, operators and responsible personnel on board must take adequate safety precautions and have in place contingency measures for every intended voyage."

Over the past few years, serious or fatal marine accidents involving various types of vessels have occurred at different locations in Hong Kong and in nearby waters. Investigations into the causes of these accidents reveal that most of them can be attributed to inadequate safety preparations or contingency measures before and after the commencement of the voyage concerned.

Mr Liu also took the opportunity to remind vessel owners, operators and responsible personnel on board to exercise particular caution when operating in areas of Hong Kong waters and the Pearl River estuary where marine works are taking place.

These include reclamation works in the basin of the ex-Wan Chai Public Cargo Working Area and in the Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter; large scale marine works associated with the development of a new cruise terminal and Southeast Kowloon off Kai Tak; and the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

Marine safety measures are ineffective without the awareness and co-operation of marine users and associations. To address this, the Marine Department is putting together a series of education seminars and publicity campaigns to highlight proper safety precautions so that marine accidents can be reduced to a minimum.

This annual seminar, hosted by the Marine Department, was attended by more than 170 representatives from the shipping and fishing industries, as well as masters, coxswains and operators of local and river-trade vessels.

Topics discussed include the application of collision regulations in Hong Kong waters; analysis of marine accidents and their implications; maintenance and safe operation of ship engines, and the relationship between weather information and navigational safety.

Apart from speakers from the Marine Department and Hong Kong Observatory, staff from the Marine Police, Fire Services Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also joined the discussions.

Hong Kong ship "arrested" in New Zealand over Middle East commercial dispute

WELLINGTON, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Hong Kong-owned cargo ship has been detained in New Zealand's eastern North Island port of Napier after becoming embroiled in a dispute between two Middle East companies, the Dominion-Post newspaper reported Wednesday.

The 16,860-tonne Sheng Mu was boarded and "arrested" by a bailiff on Dec. 5 under an order from the High Court at Auckland.

Operated by Hong Kong-based Fenwick Shipping Services, the vessel arrived in Napier on Jan. 2 and discharged fertilizer.

It was due to leave for the port of Tauranga Tuesday, said the report.

Fenwick's Australian director, Chris Rabbidge, told the newspaper his company was "an innocent party in a dispute between a couple of Middle Eastern companies who moved cargo on this ship a while ago."

Rabbidge said the arrest was "entirely unwarranted and, we contend, illegal".

"It is part of a dispute between Tradelines LLC, Dubai, (which is) part of the Saif Al Ghurair Group, and Golden Waves FZC, of the United Arab Emirates," he was quoted as saying.

"Fenwick Shipping of Hong Kong, as manager of the Sheng Mu, urges both parties to settle their dispute without involving an innocent third party and for Tradelines to honor their commitments to the owners."

Auckland High Court registrar John Mortimer told the newspaper the arrest was made under the Admiralty Act 1973, which put the ship under his control until the matter had been resolved between the parties.

It was unlikely he would approve the ship leaving the port before the matter was resolved.

Port of Napier chief operating officer Chris Bain told Radio New Zealand the crew were not allowed to leave the vessel.

Opening speech by STH at China Maritime 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The following is a speech delivered by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the opening ceremony of China Maritime 2012 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (February 28):

Mr (Neil) Baird (Editor-in-Chief of Baird Publications, the event organiser), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to China Maritime 2012. We are very happy to play host to this biennial event for the fourth time - certainly a recognition of Hong Kong's role as an international maritime centre as well as being the gateway to the fast-growing maritime market in the Mainland of China. I also thank the organisers for their efforts in bringing together over two thousand key players in the maritime and related fields from some thirty-five economies to this year's China Maritime.

Since the event was last held in 2010, we have seen ups and downs in the global economic scene and it remains to be seen how the eurozone crisis will unfold. But in this part of the world, intra-Asia trading, including shipping activities, have become more vibrant, with container throughput handling at Asian ports increasing by 8.2 per cent between the 3rd quarter of 2010 and 2011 as against a decline of 3.6 per cent in North America. The Mainland is now the world's largest exporter and the second largest importer of goods. It is one of the three largest shipbuilding economies. Six of the top ten busiest ports, including our Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, are in China. Chinese shipping lines are playing an increasingly important role in international freight transportation – according to Lloyd's List, China now holds a fifth of global dry bulk capacity and a tenth of containerised vessels.

Alongside with the Mainland, Hong Kong's role as a regional hub port and a high-end maritime service provider complements the growing maritime prominence of our closest neighbour. Hong Kong has a formidable cluster of quality maritime services, including ship broking, ship management, marine insurance, ship finance, and maritime law and arbitration. Coupled with our rule of law, a simple and low tax regime, free flow of capital and information and business-friendly environment have firmly anchored Hong Kong's position as a premier maritime service base.

Hong Kong shipowners now control 9 per cent of the world's merchant fleet. The Hong Kong Shipping Register has grown to become Asia's largest and the world's fourth largest. Its gross tonnage has doubled to about 70 million as at end-January 2012 since China Maritime was first held in Hong Kong in 2006. And the positioning of Hong Kong as an “international shipping centre”, as set out in the Outline of the 12th Five-Year Plan for the National Economic and Social Development, the Mainland's national development blueprint for the years 2011 to 2015, has added further impetus to our maritime development.

Whilst our maritime sector has sound fundamentals, the industry has always been a cyclical one. It faces similar challenges as the rest of the maritime world, including emissions control and the development of talent. Hong Kong will continue to take an active part in collective efforts to tackle these issues. For example, as a measure to encourage the shipping sector to use cleaner fuel while berthing, our Financial Secretary has proposed in the latest Budget that as a three-year scheme, port facilities and light dues will be reduced by 50 per cent for ocean-going vessels voluntarily switching to low sulphur fuel when berthing at Hong Kong Port.

On the human resources front, our programme includes promoting a career with the marine industry among our students and setting up scholarships and incentive schemes to nurture new talent in the fields of maritime law, shipping logistics, ship operation and ship repair. To date, scholarships and incentives valuing over $29 million have been granted to over 600 individuals.

The three-day China Maritime 2012 conference comprises exhibitions featuring different maritime equipment and services, as well as thematic conferences and workshops on topics ranging from ship design and ship management to ship finance. I sincerely hope all the participants of China Maritime will, by the end of the event, be better equipped with the latest product information and market intelligence, and that today's forum will open up new business opportunities for everyone. I also wish you all a most enjoyable stay in Hong Kong.

Thank you.

Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the fourth quarter of 2011
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Government Press Release

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (March 8) released statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the fourth quarter of 2011.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, total port cargo throughput increased by 1% over a year earlier to 70.6 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo decreased by 2% to 39.0 million tonnes, while outward port cargo rose by 5% to 31.6 million tonnes.

For 2011 as a whole, total port cargo throughput increased by 4% over a year earlier to 277.4 million tonnes. Within this total, inward and outward port cargo rose by 2% and 5% to 157.8 million tonnes and 119.6 million tonnes respectively.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 1% in the fourth quarter of 2011. Within this total, inward port cargo dropped by 4%, while outward port cargo rose by 3%. The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.

Port cargo

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo increased by 5% over a year earlier to 49.5 million tonnes, while river cargo decreased by 8% to 21.0 million tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Within inward port cargo, imports decreased by 9% over a year earlier to 19.0 million tonnes, while inward transhipment increased by 6% to 20.0 million tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2011. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) decreased by 2% over a year earlier to 10.7 million tonnes, while outward transhipment increased by 8% to 20.8 million tonnes.

Within port cargo, seaborne cargo rose by 7% in 2011 over 2010 to 194.9 million tonnes, while river cargo dropped by 4% to 82.5 million tonnes.

Within inward port cargo, imports decreased by 2% in 2011 over 2010 to 78.2 million tonnes, while inward transhipment increased by 7% to 79.6 million tonnes. For outward port cargo, exports and outward transhipment increased by 3% and 6% to 40.2 million tonnes and 79.4 million tonnes respectively.

The detailed port cargo statistics are summarised in Table 1.

The main countries/territories of loading for inward port cargo and countries/territories of discharge for outward port cargo are shown in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively.

Comparing the fourth quarter of 2011 with the fourth quarter of 2010, a double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (+49%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were registered in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Singapore (-30%) and Japan (-12%). Over the same period, double-digit increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Vietnam (+43%), Indonesia (+40%), Thailand (+38%), Korea (+28%), the Philippines (+23%) and Taiwan (+22%).

Comparing 2011 with 2010, double-digit increases were registered in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (+39%), Indonesia (+18%) and Korea (+10%). On the other hand, a double-digit decrease was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Singapore (-16%). Over the same period, increases were registered in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in most main countries/territories of discharge, with the three most significant increases recorded for Indonesia (+43%), Vietnam (+32%) and Thailand (+28%).

The principal commodities for inward and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5.

Comparing the fourth quarter of 2011 with the fourth quarter of 2010, double-digit decreases were recorded in inward port cargo of "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-14%), "stone, sand and gravel; metalliferous ores and metal scrap; and pulp and waste paper" (-10%) and "iron and steel" (-10%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded for "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+35%) and "bricks, ceramic tile and refractory construction materials" (+10%).

Comparing 2011 with 2010, a double-digit increase was recorded in outward port cargo of "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+20%).

Containers

In the fourth quarter of 2011, the port of Hong Kong handled 6.2 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 2% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden containers increased by 2% to 5.2 million TEUs, while empty containers dropped by 2% to 0.9 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 1% to 2.6 million TEUs, while outward containers also rose by 4% to 2.7 million TEUs.

In 2011, the port of Hong Kong handled 24.4 million TEUs of containers, representing an increase of 3% over 2010. Within this total, laden containers went up by 3% to 20.7 million TEUs, while empty containers recorded virtually no change at 3.7 million TEUs. Among laden containers, inward containers increased by 4% to 10.3 million TEUs, while outward containers also rose by 3% to 10.4 million TEUs.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 2% in the fourth quarter of 2011. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers increased by 1% and 2% respectively.

Seaborne laden containers increased by 6% in the fourth quarter of 2011 over a year earlier to 4.0 million TEUs, while river laden containers decreased by 9% to 1.3 million TEUs.

Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 11% in the fourth quarter of 2011 over a year earlier to 0.8 million TEUs, while inward transhipment increased by 7% to 1.8 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports dropped by 7% to 0.8 million TEUs, while outward transhipment rose by 9% to 1.9 million TEUs.

In 2011, seaborne laden containers increased by 7% over 2010 to 15.5 million TEUs, while river laden containers decreased by 5% to 5.2 million TEUs.

Within inward laden containers, imports decreased by 6% in 2011 over 2010 to 3.2 million TEUs, while inward transhipment increased by 9% to 7.1 million TEUs. For outward laden containers, exports decreased by 4% to 3.3 million TEUs, while outward transhipment increased by 7% to 7.1 million TEUs.

The detailed container statistics are summarised in Table 6.

Port cargo and laden container statistics are compiled from a sample of consignments listed in the cargo manifests supplied by shipping companies and agents to the C&SD.

Vessel arrivals

In the fourth quarter of 2011, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 4% over a year earlier to 8 120, with the total capacity increasing by 4% to 110.3 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 8% over a year earlier to 42 280, with the total capacity also decreasing by 3% to 27.2 million net registered tons.

In 2011, the number of ocean vessel arrivals recorded virtually no change over 2010 at 32 490, with the total capacity increasing by 6% to 425.8 million net registered tons. Over the same period, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 4% over a year earlier to 172 180, with the total capacity also decreasing by 1% to 108.4 million net registered tons.

The statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong are given in Table 7.

Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters and authorised shipping agents. Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.

Further information

More detailed statistics on port cargo, containers and vessels are contained in the quarterly report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics".

The October - December 2011 issue of the report will be available by the end of March. Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/statistical_report/external_trade/index_cd_B1020008_dt_detail.jsp).

Enquiries on port cargo and container statistics may be directed to the Shipping and Cargo Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4889 or email: shipping@censtatd.gov.hk). For enquiries about vessel statistics, readers may contact the Statistics Section under the Planning, Development and Port Security Branch of the Marine Department (Tel: 2852 3661 or email: st-sec@mardep.gov.hk).

Tables : http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/201203/08/P201203080346_0346_91063.pdf

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