Total maritime trade for the second quarter of 2014 decreased by about 21% from 6.0 million tonnes in 2013 to 4.8 million tonnes in 2014, says data obtained by the B&FT from the Ghana Shippers Authority.

Total import decreased by 31% while total export showed 16% increase in tonnage. Total transit volume also decreased by 21% during the review period, while transshipment recorded over 31% increase.

At the port of Tema, total volume of trade decreased by about 21% from 4.7 million tonnes in 2013 to 3.73 million tonnes in 2014. Import fell by 26% while export increased by 24%. Transit cargo through Tema Port fell by 22% while transshipment increased almost 29%.

Takoradi Port also experienced a 21% decrease from the 1.36 million tonnes recorded for the 2013 period, to 1.0 million tonnes during the review period.

Import tonnage decreased by 60% while export tonnage increased by 11% over the 2013 tonnage.

Total transit tonnage recorded for the Takoradi Port during the review period increased by 42% from 6,145 tonnes in 2013 to 8,740 tonnes.

On the import side, the total liner trade amounted to over 1.33 million tonnes for the review period. This was 22% less than was recorded for the 2013 period.

Total break bulk recorded for the period was 576,222 tonnes, a decrease of 32% from the 2013 record. The dry bulk trade for the review period was 53% less than the 2013 tonnage, while the liquid bulk trade saw a 7% decrease from the 2013 tonnage.

Most of the Import trade for the second quarter of 2014 came from the Far East and North Continent ranges, respectively recording over 1.0 million tonnes or 33 percent of total import and over 501,988 tonnes, representing about 16% of total import.

The Mediterranean and Others followed with 500,091 tonnes at 16% and 441,243 tonnes at 14% respectively. The Africa range recorded 322,134 tonnes or 10 percent of the total import for the review period.

The North America range had 288,221 tonnes or 9 percent while the United Kingdom range recorded 50,286 tonnes or 2 percent of the total import.

A total of 62,412 containers amounting to 89,957 TEUs were used to carry the import trade for the period. The export trade during the review period recorded an increase of 4% in the liner tonnage moving from 425,047 tonnes in 2013 to 442,993 tonnes in 2014.

The break bulk trade recorded 90%, moving from 70,659 tonnes in 2013 to 134,503 tonnes in the review period. The dry bulk trade recorded an increase of 15% during the review period.

The liquid bulk trade showed an increase of 61% during the review period, moving from 7,031 tonnes in 2013 to 11,325 tonnes in review period. Total export trade for the review period showed 16% increase.

The 1.36 million tonnes of maritime export recorded for the second quarter of 2014 was shipped to various destinations across the world.

The majority of items were exported to the Far East and the North Continent ranges: the Far East range received a total of 926,252 tonnes representing 68% of total export, while the North Continent range had a tonnage of 203,462 or 15 percent of total export.

A total of 102,275 tonnes, which amounted to 7 percent of the total export, was shipped to the others range while the Mediterranean and Africa ranges had 47,624 tonnes and 44,220 tonnes or 3 percent. The United Kingdom and North America ranges had 2 percent each.