PORT of Melbourne’s container throughput increased 7.5% in 2018, according to the latest data from the port.
Over the 2018 calendar year, Port of Melbourne handled a total of 3m TEU, a significant increase on 2017’s total throughput of 2.8m TEU. Last year’s monthly average throughput was 251,145 TEU, with an average month-on-month increase of 1%.
In December 2018, 256,572 TEU crossed the wharves, an increase of 4% on December 2017 and a decrease of 3% on November of last year.
Full overseas imports accounted for the largest part of the port’s throughput for December, reported to be 105,674 TEU, with full overseas exports over the month at 58,455 TEU and empty containers at 64,795 TEU.
Trade with the Apple Isle totalled 20,463 TEU over this past December, with imports from Tassie totalling 8793 and exports across the Bass Strait totalling 11,670 TEU.
December’s coastal trade (excluding Bass Strait trade) came to 7185 TEU, with 898 TEU imported to Melbourne, and 6287 TEU exported.
The top containerised commodity that came through the port in December was “miscellaneous manufactures”, followed by furniture, electrical equipment and timber. The available data does not distinguish between imports and exports.
The largest break-bulk cargo type through the port in December was “new motor vehicles”. A total of 33,026 units crossed the wharves, which equates to 557,526 revenue tonnes.
