PORT of Brisbane saw an increase in containerised cargo throughput in September, according to the latest trade statistics from the port.

A total of 129,452 TEU crossed the wharves over the month. This was an increase of 19% on September 2020.

Containerised exports into the port saw a significant increase. In September 59,252 TEU came into the port, an increase of 25% on the same month last year.

The port’s biggest containerised export was, as usual, fresh Queensland air, with 25,135 TEU of empty containers in September – up 15% on September 2020.

Other big containerised export categories were “export other” at 14,526 TEU (up 25.5% on September 2020), agricultural seeds at 5583 TEU (up a whopping 200%), cotton at 5354 TEU (up from 715 TEU, or 649%) and meat products at 5281 TEU (up 32%).

Containerised exports of timber saw a major decrease over the period. In September, 1006 TEU of timber crossed the wharves in boxes, down from 5005 TEU in September 2020, a decline of 80%

Containerised imports saw a slight rise in September, compared with the same month last year. There was an increase of 5508 TEU in total imports, or 10%, to 61,958 TEU.

The biggest containerised import categories at the port over the month were “import other” with 17,733 TEU (an increase of 11% on September 2020), household items at 8008 TEU (an increase of 43 TEU), building products at 6307 TEU (up 6%) and electrical equipment at 4367 TEU (down 18%).

Zooming out to look at the total trade picture through the Port of Brisbane in September, we find a significant increase in volumes. Total trade through the port (including containerised cargo) came to 2.8 million tonnes in September. This represented an increase of 26% on the same month last year.

The only commodity that saw a significant decrease over the period was refined oil imports. This past September, refined oil imports into Brisbane were 257,475 tonnes, a 44% decrease on volumes in the same month last year.

Motor vehicles also saw a decrease, with 17569 units moving through the port in September, a decrease of 27%.