THE Port of Hong Kong posted an eight per cent decline in first half container volume to 10.7 million TEU with laden boxes falling six per cent to 9.3 million TEU and empties dropping off 16 per cent to 1.5 million TEU.

In the second quarter there was an eight per cent decline in container volume to 5.5 million TEU with laden boxes decreasing five per cent to 4.8 million TEU, while empties fell 24 per cent to 700,000 TEU.

Among laden containers, inbound boxes fell four per cent to 2.4 million TEU in the same period, while outward containers dropped five per cent to 2.4 million TEU, according to the Hong Kong Census & Statistics Department.

Inbound laden container volume fell five per cent to 4.7 million TEU, while outbound boxes fell seven per cent to 4.6 million TEU.

Sea borne laden containers decreased seven per cent in the second quarter year on year to 3.5 million TEU, while river trade boxes increased three per cent to 1.2 million TEU.

Meanwhile, the Port of Shanghai posted a year-on-year 4.4 per cent increase with a throughput of 22.26 million TEU in the first eight months.