PORT of Brisbane’s total container throughput saw a decline last month, according to the latest available statistics from the port.

The port handled 132,158 TEU over the month, a decrease of 11.6% on the total container throughput for August 2022.

Zooming out and looking at the total throughput container throughput for the 12 months through August, Brisbane handled 1.54 million TEU, a decrease of 8561 TEU, or 0.6% on the same period last year.

Container imports and exports

Containerised imports through the Port of Brisbane in August 2023 totalled 63,864 TEU, a decrease of 11.4% on the same month last year.

Imports of household items decreased (down 31.4% to 7077 TEU). Other significant import commodity decreases for the month included “import other” (down 11.5% to 29,460 TEU), building products (down 23.1% to 5875 TEU) and electrical equipment (down 26.7% to 4483 TEU).

Exports likewise decreased at the port in August.

The port handled a total of 61,252 TEU last month, a decrease of 9.4% on the same month last year.

The main driver of this decline was a decrease in the number of empty containers exported through the port. A total of 19,010 TEU of fresh Queensland air crossed the wharves to ships over the month, a decrease of 7789 TEU, or 29%.

Total trade

Turning to total trade through the port (including containerised and non-containerised), we see a minimal decline in total trade in August.

Last month Brisbane handled a total of 3.17 million tonnes of total trade, down 53,920 tonnes, or 1.6% on the same month last year.

However, over the 12 months to August, the port handled 33.35 million tonnes of total cargo, an increase of 1 million tonnes, or 3.37% on the same period last year.

 In August 2023, a total of 1.98 million tonnes of cargo was imported via the Port of Brisbane. This was an increase of 9.27% on the same month last year.

However, exports decreased over the period. Last month the port handled a total of 1.13 million tonnes of cargo, a decrease of 14.26% on the same month last year.

Throughput of motor vehicles increased significantly at the port. Brisbane handled 31,584 motor vehicle units last month. This was an increase of 43.6% on the same month last year.