PORT Botany saw a busy month in June with container throughput increasing from the previous month as well as the same period last year.

Total container trade through Port Botany over June came to 217,308 TEU – an increase of 11% on the May (196,432 TEU), and 7% on June 2018’s total container throughput (202,293 TEU). In FY 20 YTD, total container throughput is down 6% on FY 19 YTD figures to 2,494,852 TEU.

The month’s volumes of full imports were up 13% on the previous year to 113,523 TEU and, according to NSW Ports, the largest increases by TEU were experienced by chemicals (up 4663 TEU), machinery (up 2644 TEU) and foodstuffs, beverages and tobacco (up 2038 TEU).

Export full volumes were down on last year’s figures, dropping 7% to 39,763 TEU. Commodities with the largest decreases by TEU were vegetable products (down 975 TEU), iron, steel, aluminium and other metals (down 821 TEU), and miscellaneous manufactured articles (down 763 TEU).

A total of 58,506 TEU empties left the port in June. This was down slightly on May (58 TEU) but up 8% on June 2019 (4,444 TEU). Empty imports came to a total of 1072 TEU.

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There were 86 container vessel visits during the month of June (13 less than June 2019), with those being in the 4000-5000 TEU and 5000-6000 TEU ranges accounting for almost half of all vessels calling at the port (18 visits and 22 visits, respectively).

At 515,157 revenue tonnes, June’s non-containerised trade through Port Botany was up 25% on the previous month, but down 4% on June 2019. Bulk gas was the standout export performer, with 41,763 revenue tonnes leaving the port in June 2020. This was an 84% increase on May and an massive 398% increase on June 2019.