RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index: Container throughput weakens in final quarter
The most important facts in brief:
- The seasonally adjusted Container Throughput Index of the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL) remained almost constant in November at 131.9 points compared to 131.8 points (revised) in the previous month.
- The North Range Index, which gives an indication of economic development in the northern eurozone and Germany, rose sharply in November compared to the previous month from 114.5 (revised) to 115.9 points.
- In the Chinese ports, container throughput fell significantly from 142.2 points in the previous month to 141.1 points.
- The RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index for December 2024 will be published on 31 January 2025.
Commenting on the development of the Container Throughput Index, RWI head of economic research Torsten Schmidt says: ‘Container throughput remains weak in November. This weakness is mainly due to the Chinese ports. Container throughput there has been falling continuously since August. In the European ports, on the other hand, the recovery is continuing.’
About the RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index:
The index is based on data on container throughput in 92 international ports, which account for around 64 percent of global container throughput, collected on an ongoing basis as part of the ISL Monthly Container Port Monitor. The current flash estimate for the Container Throughput Index is based on data from around 47 percent of the throughput shown in the index. As most international trade is handled by sea, container throughput allows reliable conclusions to be drawn about global trade. As many ports report on their activities just two weeks after the end of a month, the RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index is a reliable early indicator of the development of international trade in processed goods and therefore also of global economic activity. The Container Throughput Index is part of the statistics on foreign trade in the „Dashboard Deutschland“ of the Federal Statistical Office. It is also used by many international bodies such as UNCTAD and is included in the ‘Shipping/Port Data’ section of the WTO's Global Trade Data Portal
Data series for individual ports are available in the ISL Monthly Container Port Monitor
Further background information on the RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index can be found at www.rwi-essen.de/containerindex.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Torsten Schmidt, Phone: +49 201 8149-287, torsten.schmidt@rwi-essen.de
Sabine Weiler (Communications), Phone: +49 201 8149-213, sabine.weiler@rwi-essen.de
Data RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index
Graphic in printable resolution
RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index: North Range
