A total of 221,882 tonnes and 661,505 tonnes were handled in September and the third quarter, representing a yearon- year decline of 8 and 4.1 per cent respectively. Tonnage throughput for the first nine months of the year was 1,939,896 tonnes, representing a cumulative year-on-year growth of 2.3 per cent.
Export volume was 125,893 tonnes for September and 365,926 tonnes for the third quarter, representing a year-on-year decrease of 8.8 per cent and 6.2 per cent respectively. Despite the current market challenges, export tonnage to Africa and Middle East registered a progressive year-on-year growth of 24 per cent and 18.2 per cent in the third quarter. Cumulative export tonnage for the first nine months of the year was 1,059,988 tonnes, up 0.3 per cent against the same period of last year.
A total of 53,110 tonnes and 163,878 tonnes of import cargo were handled in September and in the third quarter, registered a significant year-on-year drop of 12.8 and 7.5 per cent respectively. Imports from South East Asia region remained the key driving force for the import tonnage, registering a year-on-year up of 0.8 per cent in the third quarter. However, volume from Europe recorded a yearon- year decrease of 15 per cent in the third quarter. For the first nine months, the total import volume was 501,892 tonnes, representing a slight year-on year drop of 0.6 per cent.
Th e transshipment volume was 42,879 tonnes for September and 131,701 for the third quarter, representing a climb of 1.4 per cent and 7.6 per cent year-onyear respectively. Total transshipment volume for the first nine months was 378,016 tonnes, up 13 per cent year on- year.
