THE RISE OF SHENZEN PORT

Shenzhen port tipped to overtake HK in 2012 


Shenzhen port is forecast to handle 25 million TEUs this year while 
Hong Kong throughput is likely to be around 23.5 million TEUs



Shenzhen is set to overtake Hong Kong as the world's third-busiest container port this year for the first time ever on an annual basis. 

This comes as total box volumes through Shenzhen's four main facilities have continued to climb despite the downturn in global trade, reported the South China Morning Post. 

By comparison, volumes through Hong Kong have dropped, especially from river trade and barge business. 

Hong Kong is set to handle about 23.2 million TEUs this year, according to Post estimates based on throughput figures between January and October. The full-year estimates take into account the expected slack trade season in November and December. 

Industry observers supported the estimates. Jon Windham, head of the Asian industrials equity research at Barclays in Hong Kong, forecast the port would handle 23.5 million TEUs in 2012. By comparison he thought Shenzhen would pull pass Hong Kong to handle 25 million TEUs. 

Sunny Ho Lap-kee, executive director of the Hong Kong Shippers' Council, added: "Your calculation might be right. [The] forecast is far from good." 

Alan Lee Yiu-kwong, head of the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association, said: "Yes, we are losing out". He said Shenzhen would certainly overtake Hong Kong next year if it failed to do so this year. 

Lee pointed out that Hong Kong had technically lost the No 3 spot for several years because 60 per cent of Hong Kong's container volumes is transhipment cargo. As a result each container is counted twice. 

He said container traffic through Shenzhen, Guangzhou and other south China ports are "practically all direct shipments". This meant each container is only counted once. 

Latest figures from the Port Development Council show Hong Kong handled 19.4 million TEUs in the first 10 months of 2012, down 4.4 per cent compared with the same period last year. 

While container volumes grew by a marginal 0.8 per cent to 14.6 million TEUs at the nine Kwai Chung container terminals between January and October, throughput slumped 17.2 per cent to 4.8 million TEUs at facilities outside Kwai Chung. 

Windham forecast that Shanghai would remain the world's top container port this year, handling 34.9 million TEUs. Singapore would be in the No 2 spot with 31.6 million TEUs. 

A MAJOR PORT LOSING GROUND

Hong Kong losing ground as major port


“The government is now talking about a 2030 master plan. Will this be useful when the 2020 plan is in the rubbish can?" asked Alan Lee Yiu-kwong, head of the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association


A raft of issues ranging from a lack of government support to a lack of facilities and new height restrictions in Kwai Chung are eroding Hong Kong's competitiveness as a top global port, a leading terminal executive said.

Alan Lee Yiu-kwong, head of the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association, outlined seven factors that not only hindered development of the port but were responsible for Hong Kong losing ground to neighbouring Shenzhen, reported the South China Morning Post.

Hong Kong is likely be overtaken this year by Shenzhen as the world's third-busiest container port. Estimates indicate Hong Kong will handle 23.2 million TEUs compared with Shenzhen, which is set to handle 25 million TEUs.

"We are losing competitiveness because of the seven issues I mentioned," said Lee, who represents the five terminal operators at Kwai Chung port, including Hongkong International Terminals, DP World and Modern Terminals.

Explaining the problems, Lee said there was a shortage of back-up land and berths for barges, which caused congestion and disrupted port operations last year.

These shortages are exacerbated by new height restrictions in Kwai Chung that prevent terminal operators from developing the existing container yards, either by building over the yards or clearing the yards of containers to build new logistics facilities.

The restrictions are contained in amendments to the draft Kwai Chung outline zoning plan, which were hotly contested in a Town Planning Board meeting on October 12, although the board rejected making any change to the amendments.

Lee said the government's failure to implement any of the recommendations outlined in the 2020 port master plan that was completed in 2004 was also a part of the problem.

The plan included five initiatives to improve port-operating efficiencies and cross-border connectivity. Lee said the government "is now talking about a 2030 master plan. I ask the question, will this be useful when the 2020 plan is in the rubbish can?"