Chile: maritime cargo movement drops in first quarter of 2023

According to the Maritime and Port Chamber of Chile (Camport), a comparative analysis of foreign trade by sea in the first quarter of 2023 reveals an 8.4% drop in tonnes handled and an 8.1% decrease in cargo value, both compared to the same period in 2022.

The decline in tonnes handled was primarily attributed to a 19.6% drop in general cargo, while the decrease in cargo value resulted from a 16.9% decline in the value of dry bulk.

Furthermore, liquid bulk and solid bulk cargo decreased by 6.8% and 6.7%, respectively, with only a 6.7% increase in refrigerated cargo.

The decline in general cargo aligns with a 20.4% decrease in full container handling during the January-March 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

See below the overall trend of the movement of containers in Chilean ports from Jan 2019 to Mar 2023, according to the DataLiner maritime intelligence service.

Container movement at Chilean ports | Jan 2019 – Mar 2023 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Camport emphasized that general cargo represents the main demand for Chile’s most important ports, accounting for 57.8% of the country’s total foreign trade value during the analyzed period.

In the first quarter of this year, maritime freight prices (BDI and SCFI) continued to show a downward trend, approaching pre-pandemic levels. China maintained its position as the top trade partner for both imports and exports.

Exports:

Camport’s analysis revealed a decrease of 172 thousand tonnes in total exported cargo when comparing the first quarters of 2023 and 2022. This decline can be attributed to a slight drop in general cargo. Notable variations between the two periods include a 457 thousand-tonne decrease in copper minerals and concentrates, a decline of 181 thousand tonnes in chemical wood pulp, and a contraction of 169 thousand tonnes in mineral fertilizers.

However, iron ores and concentrates experienced an increase of 398 thousand tonnes, salt grew by 302 thousand tonnes, and coal cokes and semi-cokes saw a rise of 62 thousand tonnes compared to the previous year.

Imports:

Between January and March 2023, the total imported cargo declined by 2.4 million tonnes, mainly due to the drop in general cargo. On the other hand, notable increases were observed in crude oil cargoes, which rose by 390 thousand tonnes, sulfuric acid, which increased by 20 thousand tonnes, and corn, which saw an increase of 145 thousand tonnes.

Conversely, the importation of coal, briquettes, ovoids, and solid fuels decreased by 922 thousand tonnes, petroleum oils dropped by 396,000 tonnes, and hydraulic cement shrank by 120,000 tonnes, as reported by Camport.

Source: PortalPortuario

To read the original news report, click on: https://portalportuario.cl/chile-cae-volumen-y-valor-de-la-carga-transportada-por-via-maritima-en-el-primer-trimestre-de-2023/

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