Growth in container and new vehicle trade pushes the Port of Melbourne's trade levels to record heights
January 25, 2011
Port of Melbourne’s trade has surged to record heights for the 2010 calendar year, with stronger than expected growth in the port’s core trades of containers and new vehicles.
Overall, trade of 78.8 million revenue tonnes has increased by 13.2 percent in 2009 and was boosted by a record container throughput of 2.348 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) – up by 12.6 percent in 2010.
The platform for the strong trade performance was set in the first half of the calendar year when container volumes grew at an average monthly rate of 15.8 percent during the six months from January to June last year.
In the second half of the year, the Port of Melbourne recorded four separate months where container throughput exceeded 200,000 TEU, including a national record of over 217,000 TEU in October.
The motor vehicle trade has increased by 34.7 percent in 2009 to a total of 398,000 units.
Port of Melbourne Executive Officer Stephen Bradford says the results reaffirm Melbourne’s position as the premier hub for Australia’s motor vehicle trade.
Last year’s record trade performance has shown the economic vitality of Victoria and south-eastern Australia more generally, he says.
“Trade through the Port of Melbourne remained resilient during the global financial crisis but the strong rebound across almost all cargo types has exceeded our expectations,” Bradford says.
“This record trade result is a collective achievement shared with out port customers, shipping lines, tenants and cargo owners.”