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South Korean trade ports handled a total of 124.32 million tons of cargo in July, which increased 1.9% from the 122.11 million tons processed a year earlier, according to the nation’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Container lifting was more favorable, growing 6.6% to 2.253 million TEUs from 2.114 million TEUs.
Looking at container throughput at major ports, Busan processed 1.697 million TEUs, going up 5.4% from a year earlier to 1.697 million TEUs and coming back to enjoy the first positive year-on-year growth in two months. Transshipment (T/S) containers rose 2.1% to 865,000 TEUs due to the deployment of larger-capacity containerships in the services calling the South Korean port that alliances of shipping lines operate on the east coast of North America trade. Growth in T/S shipments from Southeast Asia was another underlying factor.
To and from Kwangyang, 191,000 TEUs were moved, which increased 4.7%. In breakdown, exports and imports soared 14.2% to 158,000 TEUs in total, thanks to increases in those to China, the U.S. and other major trade partners. On the other hand, T/S containers plunged 25.1% to 33,000 TEUs.
Inchon registered a double-digit hike in container throughput, which surged 16.5% to 231,000 TEUs, helped by increases in those to and from China, Vietnam and Taiwan.
