PORT of Melbourne’s total container throughput in March was up 5.1% against March 2023, according to the latest monthly statistics form the port.

The port handled a total of 280,900 TEU in March this year.

Full container imports (excluding Bass Strait) volumes were up in 2.6% March 2024 against the prior year with furniture, domestic appliances, metal manufactures and paperboard all above last year’s volumes.

Full container exports (excluding Bass Strait) volumes were up 9.2% in March 2024 with hay, chaff, & fodder, lentils and barley all above last year’s volumes.

Bass Strait trade figures were down 10.4% in March this year, and full transhipments were down 8.2%. The empty container trade increased 12.7%

In the non-container trades, motor vehicle units in March 2024 were down 0.3% against units handled in March 2023, and the liquid bulk trade was down 23.1%.

The dry bulk trade decreased 13.7% year-on-year and break-bulk trade decreased 34.5% for the same period.

Other non-container trades were up 2.2% in February 2024 compared with the previous year.