News
The Port of Kobe handled a total of 2,567,540 TEUs of containerized shipments in 2012, decreasing 2.2% from a year earlier. The port suffered the first year-on-year decline in container throughput in three years, or since 2009.
Oceangoing containers accounted for 2,070,737 TEUs, waning 1.3%. By region, those exported to and imported from other Asian economies enjoyed the largest share of the pie, totaling 1,570,000 TEUs, which improved 1.1%. Containers to and from North America amounted to 340,000 TEUs, rising 3%, and those to and from Europe, 150,000 TEUs, plunging 27%.
On a tonnage basis, Kobe processed 49,030,000 tons of containers last year, falling a minute 0.5% year on year. Exports amounted to 22,240,000 tons, remaining nearly unchanged. Containerized exports to Asian nations were greater in volume than those to any other destination, weighing 16,310,000 tons, which increased 2%. North America came in second place, growing 11% to 3,180,000 tons, and exports to Europe went down 32% to 1,170,000 tons.
Imports shrank 1% to 26,790,000 tons, of which 15,680,000 tons were from other Asian countries, hiking 5%; 5,960,000 tons from North America, diminishing 10%; and 2,700,000 tons from Europe, going down 3%.
