News
The Container Throughput Index of the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL) is on a stable level. According to the current flash estimate, it reached 137.1 points in June.
The Container Throughput Index of the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL) reached 137.1 points in June, almost no change compared with May.
At the same time, the May value has been revised downwards from 138.5 to 137.0. In recent months, container traffic has been very volatile, leading to a reduced reliability of the flash estimate and, hence, stronger revisions.
The less volatile quarter-by-quarter comparison shows an increase of 0.2 per cent compared with the first quarter, indicating the sideward movement of the Index during the past nine months.
Japan, the world's third-largest economy, is extremely dependent on its foreign trade. Developments in the ports are therefore a particularly sensitive indicator for the Japanese economy. Data for the Japanese ports indicates the impact of the weakening world economy and trade conflicts. Monthly container transhipments in Japan's five largest ports have been in the range of 1.1 to just under 1.4 million TEUs per month during the past 10 years. The average growth of all ports together over the last decade has reached only 0.4%.
The flash estimate for June is based on data from 42 ports, which account for about 73% of the container handling represented in the Index.
