Imports boost Port Botany's December volumes
Imports helped lift the overall volume of containers handled at Port Botany by 11% in December.
Small growth: Port Botany container trade inches higher
Total container trade rose to 176,000 teu in December as the volume of full import containers climbed 16%, with the bulk coming from East Asia, South East Asia and Europe.
Imported goods for December were dominated by machinery, transport equipment and chemicals.
The result staved off what could otherwise have been a fall in total container trade for the six months to December 31.
Instead, the half-year figure was virtually unchanged at 993,000 teu, up 0.8% on July-December 2008.
Total full container imports for the period rose 1.3% to 496,000 teu, while full container exports inched 0.4% higher to 223,000 teu.
Sydney Ports chief executive Grant Gilfillan said the global economic backdrop would continue to be a key factor of future trade.
“While we welcome these positive results for Port Botany and New South Wales, we recognise the rest of the world economy has not fully recovered which may impact on trade results for the second half of the financial year,” Mr Gilfillan said.
