News
Japan’s 64 ports handling oceangoing containers processed a total of 9,281,045 TEUs of exports and imports (loaded and empty) in the first half (January-June) of 2019, which remained nearly unchanged from a year earlier, going down a minute 0.1%. The Harbor Modernization Promotion Committee unveiled container-lifting figures in Feb. 7.
The Big Five (Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe) were responsible for 7,035,963 TEUs in total, up 0.3%. Meanwhile, 1,148,108 TEUs were moved to and from seven other major ports (Kawasaki, Chiba, Shimizu, Yokkaichi, Shimonoseki, Kitakyushu and Hakata), up 2.3%. The total throughput at the 12 ports, as a consequence, came to 8,184,071 TEUs, up 0.6%, while the others (local ports) handled 1,096,974 TEUs, down 5%. Container lifting improved slightly at major ports but suffered negative growth at local ports.
Exports of loaded containers from the 64 ports fell 4.6% to 2,878,615 TEUs. From the Big Five, 2,222,805 TEUs were shipped, down 4%, and from the seven, 365,229 TEUs were, down 2.5%, for a total of 2,588,034 TEUs, down 3.8%. Those from the others plunged 11.5% to 290,581, indicating that exports of full containers decreased across the board.
A total of 4,345,031 TEUs of loaded containers were imported to Japan through the 64 ports, up 0.7%. The five leading ports accepted 3,335,093 TEUs, up 0.6%, and the seven large ports, 523,746 TEUs, up 3.9%. The combined volume of full containers moved to the 12 ports was 3,858,839 TEUs, up 1.1%. Imports of loaded containers swelled, although growth was only minute, but they declined 2.1% to 486,192 TEUs to the other ports.
