Hong Kong's total port cargo throughput for the entire year of 2023 was 174.90 million metric tons, a year-on-year decrease of 9.0%.

On March 4, the Hong Kong government's statistics department released the statistics for the fourth quarter of 2023 regarding vessels, port cargo, and containers. The port cargo throughput in the fourth quarter of 2023 decreased by 8.8% compared to the same period a year earlier, amounting to 43.8 million metric tons. Among them, inbound port cargo and outbound port cargo decreased by 6.0% and 13.5% respectively compared to the same period a year earlier, totaling 28.3 million metric tons and 15.6 million metric tons. The total port cargo throughput for the whole year of 2023 decreased by 9.0% compared to the same period a year earlier, amounting to 174.9 million metric tons. Inbound port cargo and outbound port cargo decreased by 7.7% and 11.1% respectively compared to the same period a year earlier, totaling 111.7 million metric tons and 63.2 million metric tons. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the port cargo throughput for sea and river transportation decreased by 8.2% and 9.9% respectively compared to the same period a year earlier, totaling 28.3 million metric tons and 15.5 million metric tons. In the whole year of 2023, the port cargo throughput for sea and river transportation decreased by 11.4% and 3.8% respectively compared to the same period a year earlier, totaling 115.1 million metric tons and 59.7 million metric tons. In the comparison between the fourth quarter of 2023 and the same period a year earlier, the main loading countries/regions that saw double-digit declines in the weight of inbound port cargo were Vietnam (down 28.1%), Japan (down 22.8%), Malaysia (down 14.4%), and Taiwan, China (down 10.9%). For outbound port cargo, Australia saw a double-digit increase of 57.4%. On the other hand, South Korea (down 30.8%), the United States (down 27.7%), Mainland China (down 20.8%), Taiwan, China (down 17.5%), and Japan (down 15.2%) recorded double-digit declines. In the comparison for the whole year of 2023 and the same period a year earlier, the main loading countries/regions that saw double-digit declines in the weight of inbound port cargo were Vietnam (down 30.0%), Japan (down 23.8%), Taiwan, China (down 23.4%), and South Korea (down 17.8%). For outbound port cargo, the United States saw a double-digit decline of 32.9%, Taiwan, China saw a decline of 29.2%, South Korea saw a decline of 22.7%, Japan saw a decline of 20.8%, and Vietnam saw a decline of 16.1%. In the comparison between the fourth quarter of 2023 and the same period a year earlier, the main commodities with double-digit percentage changes in the weight of inbound port cargo were "petroleum, petroleum products and by-products" (up 15.7%), "coal, coke and coal briquettes" (up 11.2%), "metal ores and metal scrap" (down 13.7%), and "machinery" (down 15.4%). For outbound port cargo, the main commodities with double-digit percentage declines in weight were "primary edible animal products" (down 25.7%), "synthetic resins and plastics" (down 24.5%), "stone, sand and gravel" (down 15.1%), "machinery" (down 11.9%), and "metal ores and metal scrap" (down 10.8%). In the comparison for the whole year of 2023 and the same period a year earlier, the main commodities with double-digit percentage changes in the weight of inbound port cargo were "petroleum, petroleum products and by-products" (up 23.8%) and "machinery" (down 16.1%). For outbound port cargo, the main commodities with double-digit percentage changes in weight were "stone, sand and gravel" (up 11.9%), "primary edible animal products" (down 13.1%), "synthetic resins and plastics" (down 14.9%), and "machinery" (down 17.6%). Containers In the fourth quarter of 2023, Hong Kong's ports handled 3.61 million TEUs of containers, a decrease of 10.8% compared to the same period a year earlier. Among them, loaded containers and empty containers decreased by 12.4% and 4.9% respectively, totaling 2.79 million TEUs and 0.82 million TEUs. In terms of loaded containers, inbound and outbound containers decreased by 14.0% and 10.4% respectively, totaling 1.48 million TEUs and 1.31 million TEUs. In the whole year of 2023, Hong Kong's ports handled 14.4 million TEUs of containers, a decrease of 13.7% compared to the same period a year earlier. Loaded containers and empty containers decreased by 15.0% and 8.4% respectively, totaling 11.32 million TEUs and 3.08 million TEUs. In terms of loaded containers, inbound and outbound containers decreased by 16.5% and 13.3% respectively, totaling 6.05 million TEUs and 5.27 million TEUs. The seasonally adjusted loaded container throughput in the fourth quarter of 2023 decreased by 2.6% compared to the previous quarter. In terms of loaded containers, inbound and outbound containers decreased by 3.8% and 1.3% respectively. In the fourth quarter of 2023, loaded containers for sea and river transportation decreased by 9.5% and 18.5% respectively compared to the same period a year earlier, totaling 1.96 million TEUs and 0.84 million TEUs. In the whole year of 2023, loaded containers for sea and river transportation decreased by 14.3% and 16.9% respectively compared to the same period a year earlier, totaling 8.03 million TEUs and 3.28 million TEUs. Inbound Ship Calls In the comparison between the fourth quarter of 2023 and the same period a year earlier, the number of inbound ocean-going vessel calls increased by 4.9% to 4,841 calls, while their total capacity also increased by 15.0% to 77.2 million gross tons. At the same time, the number of inbound river vessel calls increased by 57.6% to 20,485 calls, and their total capacity also increased by 10.8% to 20.1 million gross tons. In the comparison for the whole year of 2023 and the same period a year earlier, the number of inbound ocean-going vessel calls increased by 12.7% to 18,867 calls, while their total capacity also increased by 24.0% to 30.15 million gross tons. The number of inbound river vessel calls increased by 46.5% to 73,331 calls, and their total capacity also increased by 13.5% to 74.7 million gross tons.