Total trade in revenue tonnes through the Port of Melbourne for April 2018 ended 5.6% above April last year and 8.9% up for the financial year to date.
Total container throughput (full + empty) for April totalled 226,867 TEU which was 3.0% above April 2017 and up 8.4% for the financial year to date. Total container imports for the month were up 1.7% while total exports increased 4.3%.
Container Throughput: (TEU)
| | April | Financial Year to Date |
| Trade | 2018 | Change on 2017 | 2018 | Change on 2017 |
| Full Imports | 103,170 | + 1.4% | 1,117,237 | + 7.5% |
| Full Exports | 77,575 | + 1.5% | 804,678 | + 9.6% |
| Empties | 46,122 | + 9.3% | 503,703 | + 8.8% |
| Total | 226,867 | + 3.0% | 2,425,618 | + 8.4% |
Motor vehicle trade increased for the fourth consecutive month with a 21.4% increase over April 2017 to be up 9.4% for the financial year to date. All of the monthly gains came from the import sector with overseas imports of new passenger vehicles up 26.6% and imports of transport equipment (commercial vehicles) up 29.9%
After three months of decline, liquid bulk trade returned a 21.6% increase over April 2017 to be up 1.0% on a year to date basis. Imports of crude oil and petroleum products were the main commodities responsible for the monthly increase, with gains of 13.5% (+23,700 tonnes) and 40.0% (+79,600 tonnes) respectively. Other breakbulk cargoes continued to perform strongly, increasing 72.9% over April to be up 28.8% for the financial year to date. The majority of the monthly increase can be attributed to imports of non-electrical machinery, iron & steel and metal manufactures.
Non-Containerised Trade: Revenue Tonnes
| | April | Financial Year to Date |
| Trade | 2018 | Change on 2017 | 2018 | Change on 2017 |
| Motor Vehicles | 604,875 | + 21.4% | 6,102,590 | + 9.4% |
| Liquid Bulk | 556,654 | + 21.6% | 5,197,016 | + 1.0% |
| Dry Bulk | 420,431 | - 4.6% | 4,219,942 | + 12.2% |
| Breakbulk | 84,432 | + 72.9% | 864,767 | + 28.8% |
| Other | 251,137 | + 15.0% | 2,553,329 | + 35.1% |
| Total | 1,917,529 | + 15.2% | 18,937,644 | + 11.1% |
Murray Newton
Corporate Relations Manager | Corporate Relations
Direct: +61 3 9683 1366 | Mobile: +61 0407 323 749