News
The Port of Yokohama processed 119.17 million tons of cargo in 2013, which decreased a slight 1.8% from the previous calendar year. Oceangoing shipments accounted for 74.41 million tons, going down 4.5%, which were made up of 31.46 million tons of exports, down 5%, and 42.95 million tons of imports, down 4.1%. Exports and imports both declined year on year for the third consecutive year. Shipments to China, a major destination of those from Japan, fell considerably, having an adverse impact on outbound cargo movement.
As for containerized shipments, exports from Yokohama amounted to 17.45 million tons, down 8.8% from a year earlier, and imports, 22.07 million tons, down 2.7% for a total of 39.52 million tons, down 5.5%. On a TEU scale, exports totaled 1.39 million TEUs, down 5.3%, and imports, 1.2 million TEUs, down 5.2% for a total of 2.59 million TEUs, down 5.2%.
Looking at the port’s exports by commodity, completed automobiles held the largest share, weighing a total of 10.74 million tons, down 1% year on year. Ranked second were auto parts and components, which came to 5.61 million tons, down 3.1%. Four of the top 10 export items were greater in volume than they were a year earlier. By destination, shipments to China managed to come in first place, but quantitatively, they plunged 20.6% to 5.87 million tons. Exports to the U.S., which followed those to China, enjoyed a year-on-year improvement for the first time in three years, surging 22.3% to 3.15 million tons.
Turning to Yokohama's imports by item, liquefied natural gas (LNG) rose 4.7% from 2012 to 8.63 million tons, achieving an increase from a year earlier for four years in a row. LNG was followed by garments, footwear and other personal belongings, which swelled 2.4% to 1.75 million tons in total. By country of origin, imports from China shrank 3% to 8.09 million tons. In contrast, shipments from Malaysia hiked 2.7% to 4.63 million tons, exceeding those from the U.S. to come in third place.
