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RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index: Container throughput softens slightly in September, trend still positive

According to the latest flash estimate, the Container Throughput Index of the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL) decreased slightly in September compared to the previous month to a seasonally adjusted 134.0 points. Container traffic decreased notably in China and European ports, while it was stable in the other world regions. Despite the decrease, the trend is still pointing upwards.

The essence in a nutshell:

  • The seasonally adjusted Container Throughput Index of the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL) decreased slightly from 134.3 (revised) to 134.0 points in September
  • The North Range Index, which provides an indication of economic development in the northern eurozone and Germany, softened from 114.4 (revised) in August to 114.1 points in September. Despite the decrease, there is still a positive underlying growth trend.
  • In the Chinese ports, container throughput also decreased slightly from 149.6 points (revised) in August to 149.2 points in September. 
  • The RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index for October 2024 will be published on 28 November 2024.

RWI head of economic research Torsten Schmidt comments on the development of the Container Throughput Index: "The slight decrease of container traffic in September only partially offset the strong increase in August. Overall, global container traffic still follows a rather pronounced upward trend. The recovery in European ports is likely to continue during the next months."


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 58 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 the 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 foreign trade statistics in the "Dashboard Detschland" 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.

Your contacts:

Prof. Dr. Torsten Schmidt, Phone: +49 201 8149-287, torsten.schmidt@rwi-essen.de
Alexander Bartel (Communications), Phone: +49 201 8149-354, alexander.bartel@rwi-essen.de

Data RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index

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RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index: North Range

Data for special evaluation excluding Chinese ports

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