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Growth of TEUs mobilized worldwide slows in the second quarter

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Although the increase was 4.7%, this figure is the lowest for the period since 2016 According to the global ranking of ports of Alphaliner, which includes more than 200 main ports, the global volume of containers moved increased by 4.7% in the second quarter of 2018 and, although the figure is positive, the growth rate it has slowed down to the lowest quarterly level since 2016. According to Alphaliner’s weekly report, to which MundoMarítimo agreed exclusively, growth continues to be positive in all the main regions surveyed, except in the Middle East, which registered a decrease of -1.4% during the second quarter. The fall was mainly due to the dramatic decrease in the volumes of Iranian ports that registered a decrease of -18.0% due to the reimposition of sanctions by the EE. UU

Volumes in Dubai, the largest port in the Middle East, were also affected as it reported a decrease of -2.3% during the quarter. Other notable drops in the Middle East were recorded by the ports of Salalah (-17.0%), Dammam (-13.3%) and Jeddah (-1.3%).

China and Hong Kong

Container volumes moved in China and Hong Kong grew at their slowest pace since 2016, registering an increase of 4.3% during the second quarter, compared to 6.7% in the first quarter and 9.4% in the first quarter. same period in 2017. Growth was especially weak in South China, with Hong Kong registering a decrease of -7.5%, while Shenzhen decreased by -2.1%. In contrast, Guangzhou terminals posted an increase of 7.2% during the analyzed quarter.

The annual growth of the total mobilized volume of containers is currently estimated at 4.6%, decreasing compared to 5.6% registered in the first half of this year. The outlook remains uncertain, with the impact of trade tensions between China and the US. UU about container growth rates in Chinese ports in the second half of this year.

Growth by region

In detail, Alphaliner indicates that the growth records by region are as follows: China and Hong Kong 4.3%; Other North Asia 3.4%; Southeast Asia 5.3%; Indian Subcontinent 10.2%; Middle East 1.4%; North America 4.1%; Latin America 4.3%; Northern Europe 6.2%; South of Europe; 7.9%; Africa 10.8 and Oceania 6.5%.

The first 30 of the ranking

Among the first 30 ports in the world, according to Alphaliner, the performance of the second quarter was mixed, with seven ports registering volume decreases, with the Hong Kong port heading the falls with a drop of 7.5%.

Among those that gained ground is the port of Colombo, in Sri Lanka, which recorded the highest growth during the quarter with 15%, leading in this way the strong projection of the ports in the Indian Subcontinent where the ports surveyed showed growth in 10.2% in general.

The Indonesian port of Jakarta also reported a 14.8% growth, leading the ranking of Southeast Asian ports. However, the growth in this region was mixed, with negative records in the Port Kelang quarter, affected by the transfer of the transhipment cargo to its regional rivals Singapore and Tanjung Pelepas, while the regrowth in the port of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam fell to 6.7%, reporting significant congestion at its main terminal at Cat Lai.

Ranking Top 30, second quarter:

(Position, port, TEUs,% quarterly growth with respect to the same period of 2017)

1. Shanghai: 10,767,000 TEUs (5.0%); 2. Singapore: 9,556,644 TEUs (7.2%); 3. Ningbo-Zhoushan: 6,818,300 (5.2%); 4. Shenzhen: 6,104,400 TEUs (-2.1%); 5. Guangzhou: 5,609,900 TEUs (7.2%); 6. Busan: 5,512,057 TEUs (4.0%); 7. Hong Kong: 4,969,000 TEUs (-7.5%); 8. Qingdao: 4,835,600 TEUs (5.5%); 9. Los Angeles-Long Beach: 4,255,534 TEUs (3.6%); 10. Tianjin: 4,206,100 TEUs (3.3%).

The ranking continues with the ports of: 11. Dubai: 3,912,000 TEUs (-2.3%); 12. Rotterdam: 3,606,810 TEUs (6.4%); 13. Port Kelang: 2,942,871 TEUs (-2.0%); 14. Antwerp: 2,823,679 TEUs (6.0%); 15. Xiamen: 2,673,900 TEUs (4.4%) 16. Kaohsiung: 2,622,379 TEUs (2.3%); 17. Dalian: 2,601,100 TEUs (0.2%); 18. Tanjung Pelepas: 2,198,075 TEUs (4.3%); 19. Hamburg: 2,194,863 TEUs (-2.6%); 20. Laem Chabang: 1,998,092 TEUs (4.7%);

Complete the first 30 positions: 21. New York-New Jersey: 1,770,108 TEUs (4.3%); 22. Colombo: 1,708,939 TEUs (15.0%); 23. Ho Chi Minh City 1,636,495 TEUs (6.7%); 24. Jakarta: 1,567,453 TEUs (14.8%); 25. Yingkou: 1,563,400 TEUs (2.1%); 26. Bremerhaven 1,375,629 TEUs (4.8%); 27. Valencia 1,315,197 TEUs (4.8%) 28. Tokyo 1,266,784 TEUs (-0.6%); 29. Nhava Sheva 1,241,027 TEUs (3.2%); 30. Lianyungang 1,202,300 TEUs (-3.1%).

 Daniel Bosch Wood

Abogado Maritimista

LLM Southampton

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria