Hong Kong port's container throughput has grown at 4 percent a year on average from 2003 to 2008, reaching 24.5 million TEUs (twenty-feet equivalent units) last year and making the city the world's third busiest container port for the year, the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong said on Tuesday.

According to the department's analysis published on Tuesday, laden container movements between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland occupied the largest share of 36 percent last year, up from 34 percent in 2003.

Triton containers are seen being moved at Container System Ltd, in Lau Fau Shan Hong Kong, China [CFP]

About 71 percent of them were between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta ports, reflecting the close economic relations between the city and the region. Seaborne container throughput rose from 14.5 million TEUs in 2003, to 17.1 million TEUs in 2008, with an average annual growth rate of 3 percent. River container throughput grew at 5 percent a year on average, from 5.9 million TEUs in 2003 to 7.4 million TEUs in 2008.

Over the same period, laden transshipment containers rose from 8.5 million to 12.8 million TEUs, growing at an average annual rate of 8 percent However, laden containers for direct shipment fell from 8 million to 7.5 million TEUs. Transshipment took up 63 percent of laden containers last year, up from 52 percent in 2003.

Of the commodities carried last year, 44 percent were manufactured goods, followed by machinery and transport equipment at 19 percent, and chemicals and related products at 15 percent. For inward laden containers, 45 percent were loaded in the Chinese mainland. Of them, 65 percent were from Pearl River Delta ports including Shenzhen at 21 percent and Guangzhou at 16 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2009)