News
The combined volume of containerized shipments that major shipping companies moved in August among 13 countries and regions in Asia decreased 4.5% from the corresponding month of 2015 to 1.073 million TEUs, suffering the first year-on-year contraction in two months. In breakdown, dry cargo fell 5% to 1.006 million TEUs, declining from a year earlier for two months in a row, while reefer cargo improved 5% to 67,000 TEUs. Exports from Japan plunged 14% to 111,700 TEUs, but its imports grew 0.5% to 177,700 TEUs.
In the first eight months (January-August), 9.016 million TEUs were transported on the intra-Asia trade, which waned 1.2%. Japan exported 1.004 million TEUs, plummeting 11.3%, and imported 1.489 million TEUs, hiking 3.3%.
Looking at the containerized shipments shipped out of Japan in August more closely by destination, those to China sank sharply across the board. Exports to northern China went down 12% to 17,000 TEUs; to central China, down 27% to 11,000 TEUs; to Fujian Province, down 44% to 1,300 TEUs and to southern China, down 13% to 7,700 TEUs. Those to Hong Kong and Taiwan were sluggish as well, sliding a notable 21% to 9,800 TEUs and 16% to 13,000 TEUs, respectively.
As for exports to Southeast Asia, those to Vietnam were the only sector to register a year-on-year improvement, climbing 4.4% to 8,400 TEUs. In contrast, containers bound for the Philippines came down 3.6% to 3,700 TEUs; to Cambodia, down 16% to 300 TEUs; to Thailand, down 16% to 12,000 TEUs; to Malaysia, down 16% to 6,300 TEUs; to Singapore, down 11% to 2,600 TEUs; to Indonesia, down 2.4% to 6,500 TEUs and to Myanmar, down 44% to 150 TEUs.
Regarding imports, meanwhile, those from northern China and central China were both brisk, soaring 17% to 26,000 TEUs and 12.6% to 28,800 TEUs, respectively. However, shipments from Fujian and southern China were not, diminishing 23% to 7,400 TEUs and 8% to 24,000 TEUs. Containers from Hong Kong and Taiwan were not robust, either, both of which deflated 14% to 7,000 TEUs.
As it concerns containerized shipments from Southeast Asia, those from Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia were all bullish, which swelled 5.9% to 13,000 TEUs, 16% to 16,000 TEUs, 16% to 11,000 TEUs, 1% to 7,000 TEUs and 1% to 370 TEUs, respectively. On the other hand, containers from the Philippines contracted 7% to 6,800 TEUs; from Singapore, 9% to 2,700TEUs and from Myanmar, 3% to 550 TEUs.
