THE Port of Hong Kong container volume fell 12.1 per cent year on year in the first quarter to 4.32 million TEU, according to Hong Kong's Census and Statistics Department.

Overall, Hong Kong handled 55.6 million tonnes of cargo during the quarter, an 18.7 per cent decline. Import cargo fell 22.9 per cent year on year to 32.3 million tonnes, while exports declined 12.1 per cent to 23.3 million tonnes.

But Indonesian quarterly imports increased 33.5 per cent year on year, the only bright spot on otherwise bleak throughput number.

Inbound mainland cargo was down 33.2 per cent, followed by declines from Taiwan (-31.7 per cent) the US (-28.6 per cent), Singapore (-20.7 perc ent), Thailand (20.1 per cent), Japan (-20.1 per cent) and Korea (-13.8 percent).

Meanwhile, outward port cargo tonnage for the quarter surged 58.2 per cent year-over-year to Macau though tonnage to Vietnam was down 29.7 per cent, followed by declines to Malaysia (-27.2 per cent), the US (-18.3 per cent), Thailand (-15.6 per cent) and Japan (-11.3 per cent).