UK port traffic picture hazy

The statistics show that on a year-to-date basis, total port traffic was 8% down at the end of the first quarter. Inward traffic slowed by 10% and outward traffic by 5%.

However, taken by a quarter-on-quarter basis, total traffic for the first three months of 2010 shows just a slight fall of 1% compared with the same quarter in the previous year. This is made up of an inward traffic drop of 4%, almost made up for by outward traffic rising by 2% compared with the same period in 2009.

Further, unitised traffic (containers, trailers, RGVs and cars) showed an overall increase of 7%. Inward traffic was up 9% and outward traffic gained 5% compared with the first quarter in 2009.