The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

 
*"Pro rata ratio" refers to the average percentage of allotment with respect to each tender participant's tendered amount at the "highest yield accepted" level. 
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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning March 10, 2025:
 

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (March 4) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the fourth quarter of 2024.
      
     In the fourth quarter of 2024, total port cargo throughput increased by 1.1% to 44.3 million tonnes over a year earlier.  Within this total, inward port cargo decreased by 3.5% to 27.3 million tonnes, while outward port cargo increased by 9.6% to 17.1 million tonnes.
      
     For 2024 as a whole, total port cargo throughput increased by 1.0% to 176.7 million tonnes over a year earlier.  Within this total, inward port cargo decreased by 0.5% to 111.1 million tonnes, while outward port cargo increased by 3.9% to 65.6 million tonnes.
      
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput increased by 2.4% in the fourth quarter of 2024.  Within this total, inward port cargo decreased by 1.4% compared with the preceding quarter, while outward port cargo increased by 8.9% compared with the preceding quarter.  The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.
      
Port cargo
 
     In the fourth quarter of 2024, within port cargo, seaborne cargo decreased by 1.8% to 27.8 million tonnes over a year earlier, while river cargo increased by 6.5% to 16.5 million tonnes over a year earlier.
      
     In the whole year of 2024, within port cargo, seaborne cargo decreased by 4.1% to 110.5 million tonnes over a year earlier, while river cargo increased by 10.9% to 66.2 million tonnes over a year earlier.
      
     Comparing the fourth quarter of 2024 with a year earlier, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Korea (+43.4%) and Singapore (+18.3%).  On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (-42.5%), the United States of America (-31.5%), Malaysia (-24.1%), Thailand (-20.6%), Vietnam (-17.7%) and Japan (-13.1%).  For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Taiwan (+29.9%), Vietnam (+21.6%), the mainland of China (+21.4%) and Korea (+20.3%).  On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the Philippines (-49.0%), Malaysia (-21.9%), Japan (-17.6%) and the United States of America (-12.1%).
      
     Comparing the whole year of 2024 with a year earlier, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Korea (+29.4%) and Singapore (+21.4%).  On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in the United States of America (-27.5%), Indonesia (-26.9%), Malaysia (-21.0%), Vietnam (-18.3%), Thailand (-16.0%) and Japan (-15.8%).  For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Vietnam (+15.3%), the mainland of China (+12.6%) and Taiwan (+11.5%).  On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the Philippines (-32.2%), Japan (-19.2%), Malaysia (-16.0%), Thailand (-13.4%) and the United States of America (-10.9%).
      
     Comparing the fourth quarter of 2024 with a year earlier, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+26.3%), "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (+22.8%), "artificial resins and plastic materials" (-10.1%), "stone, sand and gravel" (-13.2%) and "coal, coke and briquettes" (-48.2%).  As for outward port cargo, triple-digit or double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (+169.0%), "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+30.1%) and "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (+11.8%).
      
     Comparing the whole year of 2024 with a year earlier, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (+17.5%), "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+12.2%) and "coal, coke and briquettes" (-15.3%).  As for outward port cargo, triple-digit or double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (+142.8%), "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (+13.7%) and "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (-11.2%).   

Containers
 
     In the fourth quarter of 2024, the port of Hong Kong handled 3.51 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 2.8% over a year earlier.  Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 0.2% and 11.7% to 2.79 million TEUs and 0.72 million TEUs respectively.  Among laden containers, inward containers remained virtually unchanged, at 1.48 million TEUs, while outward containers decreased by 0.4% to 1.31 million TEUs.
      
     For 2024 as a whole, the port of Hong Kong handled 13.69 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 5.0% over a year earlier.  Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 3.4% and 10.6% to 10.93 million TEUs and 2.76 million TEUs respectively.  Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 3.3% and 3.5% to 5.85 million TEUs and 5.08 million TEUs respectively.
      
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput increased by 2.7% in the fourth quarter of 2024.  Within this total, inward and outward laden containers increased by 1.5% and 4.1% respectively.
      
     In the fourth quarter of 2024, seaborne laden containers decreased by 1.4% to 1.93 million TEUs over a year earlier, while river laden containers increased by 2.6% to 0.86 million TEUs.
      
     In the whole year of 2024, seaborne laden containers decreased by 5.0% to 7.63 million TEUs over a year earlier, while river laden containers increased by 0.6% to 3.30 million TEUs.
 
Vessel arrivals
 
     Comparing the fourth quarter of 2024 with a year earlier, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 1.4% to 4 772, with the total capacity also decreasing by 1.1% to 76.4 million net tons.  Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 1.0% to 20 685, with the total capacity also increasing by 16.7% to 23.4 million net tons.
      
     Comparing the whole year of 2024 with a year earlier, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 2.5% to 18 395, with the total capacity also decreasing by 3.2% to 291.9 million net tons.  Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals increased by 12.1% to 82 194, with the total capacity also increasing by 13.5% to 84.8 million net tons.
 
Further information
 
     Port cargo and laden container statistics are compiled from a sample of consignments listed in the cargo manifests supplied by shipping companies and agents to the C&SD.  Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters and authorised shipping agents.  Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.
      
     Table 1 presents the detailed port cargo statistics.
      
     Table 2 and Table 3 respectively present the inward and outward port cargo statistics by main countries/territories of loading and discharge.
      
     Table 4 and Table 5 respectively present the inward and outward port cargo statistics by principal commodities.
      
     Table 6 presents the detailed container statistics.
      
     Table 7 presents the statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong.
      
     More detailed statistics on port cargo, containers and vessels are published in the report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics, Fourth Quarter 2024".  Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020008&scode=230).
      
     For enquiries about port cargo and container statistics, please contact the Electronic Trading Services and Cargo Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 2126 or email: shipping@censtatd.gov.hk).  For enquiries about vessel statistics, readers may contact the Statistics Section under the Planning, Development and Port Security Branch of the Marine Department (Tel: 2852 3662 or email: st-sec@mardep.gov.hk).

     The launch of the Games' volunteer service-themed cultural signs for the 15th National Games (NG), the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG), and a volunteer service exchange event between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao was held at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou earlier.
                     
     The event was organised by the Guangdong Provincial Executive Committees for the NG, NGD, and NSOG and hosted by Sun Yat-sen University. The Games' volunteer service-themed cultural signs were unveiled at the event. Persons in charge of volunteer services of the Games and volunteer service organisations in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao also shared and exchanged views on the Games' volunteer services on the same occasion.
                     
     The Games' volunteer service-themed cultural signs are important cultural symbols that carry the spirit of the NG, NGD and NSOG, as well as the vision of the volunteer services. The signs are meaningful for promoting the spirit of volunteers, the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, and creating a favourable social atmosphere for community participation and dedication. The signs will be used conjointly in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to further enhance collaboration of volunteer services among the three places, and promote the establishment of a volunteer culture system in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
                     
     The volunteer service emblem, echoing the main emblem of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, takes the shape of a heart as a whole. It adopts the same visual concept of a blooming flower used in the main emblem. The colours of the volunteer service emblem follow the main emblem's tone, with the cotton red of Guangdong, the bauhinia purple of Hong Kong and the lotus green of Macao in the form of a concentric flower.
                     
     The volunteer service slogan is "Be more wonderful for you". While "you" represents the events of the Games, and everyone who witnesses, participates in and supports the Games, "wonderful" is one of the requirements for hosting the Games, and also embodies athletes' excellent performances and volunteers' contributions to the Games. The volunteer nickname is Little Dolphin, signifying that the volunteers from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are friendly, lovely, motivated, intelligent and united like dolphins.
                     
     For details of the Games' volunteer service-themed cultural signs, please refer to the press release issued by the Guangdong Provincial Executive Committees for the NG, NGD, and NSOG (www.baygames.cn/node_0e9abf3fbd/2b01bc990f.shtml) (Chinese only). For more information on the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG in Hong Kong, please visit the thematic website (www.2025nationalgames.gov.hk/en/index.html) as well as the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/2025nationalgames.hk) and Instagram page (www.instagram.com/2025nationalgames.hk).

  

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 is 107.1 (down 0.2 against yesterday's index).

     In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on March 3 to noon today (March 4), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 179 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 119 887 samples of food imported from Japan (including 78 680 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 27 726 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.