[April. 5^th, 2017. Incheon, Korea]

In February, Incheon Port set a record by posting more than 190,000 TEUs in the quantity of transported containers. It is due to provision of new services on the back of facilitated Incheon New Port, Korea-China FTA and collaboration with related institutions and partner companies.

According to Incheon Port Authority, Incheon Port established a record by posting 192,981 TEUs in the quantity of containers transported in February. It is up 15.1% from last year when it recorded 167,689 TEUs in the same month last year.

The quantity of transported imports was increased by 1,000 TEUs from last year to record 81,559 TEUs, which accounted for 42.3% of the entire quantity. The quantity of transported exports grew by 4,000 TEU from a year ago to record 88,659 TEU. The quantity of transshipments and coastal cargoes posted 1,456 TEUs and 21,307 TEUs, respectively.

By country, the volume of trade with China (98,347 TEUs) grew by 6.0% (5,536 TEUs) amid concerns about THAAD, and the volume of trade with Taiwan rose by 80.5% (3,984 TEUs). On the other hand, the volume of trade with Japan (3,736 TEUs) was decreased by 985 TEUs from a year ago to record 22.4% (1,078TEU). The volume of trade with Russia (190 TEUs) was reduced by 80.3% (774 TEUs).

By region, the trade volume rose by 10.4% (3,850TEUs) in Southeast Asia (40,720TEU), and it grew by 228.0% (2,987 TEUs) in the Middle East (4,024 TEUs). On the other hand, it was decreased by 1.2% (1,321TEUs) in the Far Eastern Asia and reduced by 22.4% (1,078TEUs) in Japan (3,736 TEUs).

Incheon Port Authority cited facilitation of Incheon New Port and continuous effects of Korea-China FTA as a main reason for the increase in the quantity of transported containers in February. 

Of a total of 31 items handled in Incheon Port, 15 items were increased. As for the main growth items, woven textile fabric (1.121 million RT) was increased by 18.4% (174,000 RT) year-on-year, and vehicles and parts (130,7000 RT) grew by 110.3% (72,000 RT), and timber, charcoal and cork (131,000 RT) rose by 26.0% (27,000 RT).        

In February, the quantity of bulk cargoes recorded 10.05 million tons, up 6.8% year-on-year. 

Imported cargoes recorded 6.69 million tons, which accounted for 66.5% of the entire cargoes, and it is up 12.2% from a year ago. Exported cargoes posted 870,000 tons, which accounted for 8.6% of the entire cargoes, and it is down 9.5% from a year ago. Coastal cargoes accounted for 24.9%, up 0.3% from a year ago.

Items inducing growth in bulk cargoes were soft coals (14.1% of market share) that were increased by 420,000 tons year-on-year and petroleum gas (29.4% of market share) that was expanded by 240,000 tons.