Driven by strong volume growth recorded across key container ports in the first quarter of 2017, the full year global port throughput growth was revised to 4.6%, compared to earlier projections of only 2%-3%.
Based on Alphaliner’s survey of over 150 ports around the world, global container port throughput is estimated to have grown by 5.8% in the first quarter of 2017.
“If the current strong momentum is maintained in the coming months, the full-year figure may be adjusted further upwards and could surpass the 5.1% volume increase recorded in 2014,” Alphaliner said.
Growth rates across the various regions remain mixed, as ports in Africa, South Asia and Latin America show strong volume growth, while the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Mediterranean ports posted relatively weaker, albeit positive, gains.
A key driver of the higher than expected growth in the first quarter was the strong showing in Chinese ports as well as North European and North American ports. Growth in both regions exceeded 6% year-on-year.