Total port trade for May 2018 was a record 8.42 million revenue tonnes, 9.7 per cent greater than May last year and 8.9 per cent up for the financial year to date. This overall monthly increase was attributable to full and empty containers, wheeled unitised cargoes and breakbulk.
Total container throughput (full + empty) for May was a record 265,049 TEU, surpassing the previous monthly best of 254,957 TEU recorded in October 2017. This was 13.1 per cent above May 2017 and up 8.9 per cent for the financial year to date, with total container imports up 18.1 per cent for the month and total exports gaining 8.2 per cent.
Container Throughput: (TEU)
| | May | Financial Year to Date |
| Trade | 2018 | Change on 2017 | 2018 | Change on 2017 |
| Full Imports | 124,696 | + 17.8% | 1,242,220 | + 8.4% |
| Full Exports | 84,578 | + 1.7% | 889,218 | + 8.8% |
| Empties | 55,775 | + 22.8% | 559,476 | + 10.0% |
| Total | 265,049 | + 13.1% | 2,690,914 | + 8.9% |
Motor vehicle trade declined for the first time in four months with a 4.8 per cent decrease on May 2017, but was still up 7.8 per cent for the financial year to date. The monthly decline can be attributed to the export sector with new passenger vehicle exports well down.
Other breakbulk cargoes continued well above last year's levels, increasing 50.1 per cent over May 2017 to be up 30.6 per cent for the financial year to date. Exports of machinery (including decommissioned plant and equipment) along with imports of iron and steel were the main commodities responsible for the monthly increase.
Non-Containerised Trade: Revenue Tonnes
| | May | Financial Year to Date |
| Trade | 2018 | Change on 2017 | 2018 | Change on 2017 |
| Motor Vehicles | 583,866 | - 4.8% | 6,671,219 | + 7.8% |
| Liquid Bulk | 558,337 | - 2.1% | 5,755,352 | + 0.7% |
| Dry Bulk | 377,079 | - 6.9% | 4,597,021 | + 10.3% |
| Breakbulk | 96,795 | + 50.1% | 960,642 | + 30.6% |
| Other | 278,416 | + 7.8% | 2,831,745 | + 31.8% |
| Total | 1,894,493 | - 0.9% | 20,815,979 | + 9.8% |
Murray Newton
Corporate Relations Manager | Corporate Relations
Direct: +61 3 9683 1366 | Mobile: +61 0407 323 749