News
South Korea traded 342,100 TEUs of containerized shipments with eight other Asian countries and regions in September, up 3.8% year on year from 329,500 TEUs, according to local maritime media that reported preliminary statistics compiled from customs clearance data from the Korea Customs Service (KCS). Exports decreased 2% to 152,900 TEUs, but imports increased 9% to 189,000 TEUs, contributing to the growth in overall volume.
Container movement was robust to and from all of the economies but the Philippines. Containers to and from the Vietnam were up 6% to 113,000 TEUs; to and from Indonesia, up 3% to 52,900 TEUs; to and from Thailand, up 5% to 45,400 TEUs; to and from Malaysia, up 2% to 43,900 TEUs; to and from Taiwan, up 4% to 32,600 TEUs; to and from the Philippines, down 15% to 19,000 TEUs; to and from Hong Kong, up 16% to 17,500 TEUs; and to and from Singapore, up 11% to 17,200 TEUs.
Exports to and imports from Vietnam, South Korea’s leading intra-Asia trade partner, swelled for two back-to-back months, while those to and from Malaysia turned upward for the first time in eight months. In contrast, containers to and from the Philippines fell below 20,000 TEUs for the first time in three months.
