XN000022-1995-04-22+23 — Page 7

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Hong Kong tops the world container throughput

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With an annual throughput of more than 11 million TEUS (twenty foot equivalent units) in 1994, Hong Kong for the third successive year tops the world's container throughput as the busiest container port in the world, the Director of Marine, Mr Ian Dale, announced today (Sunday).

Hong Kong acquired the world's busiest container port status first in 1992 when it handled 7,971,758 TEUs. In the following year, the annual container throughput rose by 15.5 per cent to 9,204,236 TEUs, and last year at 11,050,050 TEUs, an increase of 20.1 per cent was achieved.

"Recently the annual increases in throughput are exceeding our long term forecasts," Mr Dale said.

"While these figures show a sustained and growing demand, which the port is adapting to meet, they also clearly underline the urgent need for the development of additional container terminal facilities to meet forecast increases," he said.

"Hong Kong, and its adjacent port must co-ordinate development to ensure their facilities are in place to meet the needs of the trade," Mr Dale added.

The container terminals in Kwai Chung including terminal 8 on Stonecutters Island handled 7,278,117 TEUs, in 1994, representing a 25.6 per cent increase.

During the same year, throughput in river trade sector rose by 52.8 per cent to 932,721 TEUS while the stream operators handled 2,840,392 TEUs, an increase of 1.2 per cent over a year ago.

The comparative container statistics in TEUS are: