FIGURES from the Hong Kong Marine Department show the port handled 1.96 million TEU in December, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.4 per cent from 1.86 million TEU in December last year.

But the December increase, attributed to shippers moving more cargo ahead of Chinese New Year, was not representative of the year's performance. Overall, there was a 3.6 per cent year-on-year decline in Hong Kong container movement to 22.2 million TEU in 2013.

Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority reported a 5.3 per cent increase in container movement in December, having handled 2.76 million TEU compared to 2.62 million TEU in December last year, and a 2.9 per cent increase in container movement in 2011, having handled 32.6 million TEU compared to 31.6 million TEU in 2012.