Port Botany Container Trade Growth Continues In January

Port Botany’s container volumes reached over 159,000 TEU* in January 2010, an increase of 10.7% on the same month last year.

It builds on the strong figures for the first seven months of the 2009/10 financial year. Trade performance for the YTD January 2009/10 was 1.153 million TEU, up 2.1% on the same period last year.

Full containerised exports grew by 4.8% in January 2010 compared with the same period last year, demonstrating that the Australian economy – unlike other areas of the developed world which experienced severe recession – escaped relatively unscathed from the global financial crisis.

Key export commodity growth has come from Paper products (up 36.5%) Chemicals (up 14.7%) and demand for local Timber products remained strong (up 39.6%).

Full imports for January 2010, were 78,831 TEU, up 7.8% on the same period last year.

The key commodities with the highest growth:

• Textile fabric up, benefiting from a tariff reduction at the start of the month (44.4%).
• Chemicals up (16.4%)
• Paper products such as books, napkins, office paper and magazines up (23.9%)
• Non-metallic minerals such as float glass, ceramic tiles and glassware up (60%)

Total full container imports for YTD January 2009/10 reached 574,800 TEU, up 2.1% on the corresponding period last year.

The leading import regions were dominated by East Asia (47%), South East Asia (15%) and Europe (14%), which combined accounted for 76% of total trade.

Total trade for the financial year to 31 January 2010 was 16.4 million mass tonnes ― a decrease of 3.6% compared to the same period last year. This was mainly as a result of the
cessation of the motor vehicle trade through Glebe Island in November 2008. If the car trade is removed from the figures, the decrease was only 2.8% per cent.

Year to date January 2010 Figures

Top exports

• Cereals ( including wheat and barley) – 43.6% increase with most exports to Viet Nam, Taiwan
• Non-ferrous metals – 27.5% increase with 78% exports to Asia
• Cotton- 112.6% increase with 90% growth generated from Thailand, Indonesia and Korea
• Fruit and vegetables – 58.7% increase with more than 40% exports to India which generated 80% of the total growth

Top imports

The top imports include:

• Miscellaneous Manufactures (China 57.9%)
• Machinery and Transport Equipment (China 36.6%, United States 12.7%)
• Chemicals (most growth generated from Thailand and China)
• Beverage and tobacco – increase 13.3%. Biggest contributor is Alcoholic Beverages excl wines (such as beer & spirits) increased by 38.3%, almost 50% imports from Mexico, United Kingdom and United Stats.
• Non-metallic mineral manufactures – increase 94.1% mainly due to the growth from China and United States which contributed to over 90% of the total growth (float glass, ceramic tiles, glassware etc.)

The Asia region represents 60% of all volume into and out of the port of Sydney.

(Source: Sydney Ports Corporation Trade Statistics Bulletin 1 July to 31 January 2010)

For the full January 2009 report please click here.

For enquiries on the Trade Stats Bulletin, please contact the Logistics and Trade Analyst on +61 2 9296 4999.