Canada's east coast ports boom, US flat, China exports up: Drewry
DREWRY's regional port throughput index for east coast North American ports reached 115 points in May, four points up from the last month, against a base of 100 set in January 2008.
While east coast Canadian ports enjoyed a boom in Asian import growth, US east coast ports posted flat results as China showed moderate growth on the export end, leading gains being made by Far East exporting countries, according to a Drewry Maritime Research report.
Chinese ports showed a three per cent growth over June and only 2.2 per cent when compared to the same month last year. Both Far East ports excluding China and the top 10 Chinese ports, witnessed a three per cent growth in May over April. But year on year, Far East Asia, excluding China, declined 2.8 per cent while China rose by six per cent.
On the North American east coast, Halifax did better than other ports with more than 17 per cent year-on-year growth in the first six months of the year, according to preliminary data provided by the port authority.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, posted a 17 per cent year-on-year gain to 224,000 TEU in the first six months on the back of a rise in Asian imports via Suez and Panama, and more business coming from Zim's decision to make the port its first call on its ZCA loop as well as an increase in transshipment activity from Zim and Grand Alliance carriers.
Not mentioned in the Drewry survey, was a 72 per cent first half year-on-year box volume increase to 38,762 TEU posted by the smaller eastern Canadian port of Saint John, New Brunswick. Strong performance was also posted by Montreal, which handled 13.7 per cent more traffic in May than April.
In May, port throughput at all US ports gained over April volumes. The largest port of the region in terms of volumes, New York, is yet to publish numbers for May. However, the port handled 437,000 TEU in April, almost the same as the previous month, said Drewry.
Container traffic at Savannah was 262,000 TEU in May, only a percentage point higher than previous month, following a 11.4 per cent month-to-month growth in April. Houston handled 11 per cent more traffic in May, following a slow April. Charleston's container volumes rose three per cent in May to 139,143 TEU, up five per cent year on year.
Baltimore and Virginia witnessed a growth in May container traffic as well. Baltimore gained six per cent over June whereas Virginia handled close to seven per cent more cargo from last month.
Drewry's regional port throughput index for Far East Asian ports, including China, reached 128 points in May, which shows a 28 per cent growth since January 2008. The largest contributors to this growth were the Chinese ports that grew 43 per cent since that period, showing the throughput index at 143 points for May.
Throughput volumes also turned around at Hong Kong in May as operations resumed following a 40-day strike. The port handled 1.84 million TEU, 11 per cent lower than the same period last year but six per cent up on April.
Busan saw a slight close to two and a half per cent downturn in May container traffic compared to April and May 2012. Dalian and South Korean Kwangyang saw close to 10 per cent growth in the last two months, said Drewry.
DREWRY's regional port throughput index for east coast North American ports reached 115 points in May, four points up from the last month, against a base of 100 set in January 2008.
While east coast Canadian ports enjoyed a boom in Asian import growth, US east coast ports posted flat results as China showed moderate growth on the export end, leading gains being made by Far East exporting countries, according to a Drewry Maritime Research report.
Chinese ports showed a three per cent growth over June and only 2.2 per cent when compared to the same month last year. Both Far East ports excluding China and the top 10 Chinese ports, witnessed a three per cent growth in May over April. But year on year, Far East Asia, excluding China, declined 2.8 per cent while China rose by six per cent.
On the North American east coast, Halifax did better than other ports with more than 17 per cent year-on-year growth in the first six months of the year, according to preliminary data provided by the port authority.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, posted a 17 per cent year-on-year gain to 224,000 TEU in the first six months on the back of a rise in Asian imports via Suez and Panama, and more business coming from Zim's decision to make the port its first call on its ZCA loop as well as an increase in transshipment activity from Zim and Grand Alliance carriers.
Not mentioned in the Drewry survey, was a 72 per cent first half year-on-year box volume increase to 38,762 TEU posted by the smaller eastern Canadian port of Saint John, New Brunswick. Strong performance was also posted by Montreal, which handled 13.7 per cent more traffic in May than April.
In May, port throughput at all US ports gained over April volumes. The largest port of the region in terms of volumes, New York, is yet to publish numbers for May. However, the port handled 437,000 TEU in April, almost the same as the previous month, said Drewry.
Container traffic at Savannah was 262,000 TEU in May, only a percentage point higher than previous month, following a 11.4 per cent month-to-month growth in April. Houston handled 11 per cent more traffic in May, following a slow April. Charleston's container volumes rose three per cent in May to 139,143 TEU, up five per cent year on year.
Baltimore and Virginia witnessed a growth in May container traffic as well. Baltimore gained six per cent over June whereas Virginia handled close to seven per cent more cargo from last month.
Drewry's regional port throughput index for Far East Asian ports, including China, reached 128 points in May, which shows a 28 per cent growth since January 2008. The largest contributors to this growth were the Chinese ports that grew 43 per cent since that period, showing the throughput index at 143 points for May.
Throughput volumes also turned around at Hong Kong in May as operations resumed following a 40-day strike. The port handled 1.84 million TEU, 11 per cent lower than the same period last year but six per cent up on April.
Busan saw a slight close to two and a half per cent downturn in May container traffic compared to April and May 2012. Dalian and South Korean Kwangyang saw close to 10 per cent growth in the last two months, said Drewry.