China handled 82.3 million TEU in only 4 months time.

CHINA’s ports have handled just under 4.3 billion tonnes of cargo from January through April, according to the Ministry of Transport. Of that, 1.38 billion tonnes, or 32 per cent, was foreign cargo. Meanwhile, China handled 82.3 million TEU.

Nationally, China’s year-to-date total cargo volumes increased 6.6 per cent compared with January to April 2018. Foreign cargo volumes rose 2.6 per cent. Box volumes also increased 5.7 per cent year on year.

Logistics and e-commerce booming in the Chinese market

First quarter trade value came in a US$1,027.2 billion, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Export values stood at $551.76 billion, up 1.4 per cent year on year. Imports stood at $475.45 billion, down 4.8 per cent. The trade surplus for the quarter was $76.31 billion.

Said Australia China Business Council CEO Helen Sawczak: “China’s economy has shifted from an investment basis to a consumption basis. There’s also a rise of the affluent middle classes. And what do the affluent middle classes want? Lots of clean, green, products.

“Logistics is booming in China. Ecommerce is booming. Ecommerce is growing exponentially due to the rise of the middle classes. Over 610 million Chinese people made a purchase online last year,” she told New York’s FreightWaves.

Copyright 2016 HKSG Group Media