RWI/ISL Container Throughput Input Index
International tensions weigh on global trade
27.02.2025
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) rose to a seasonally adjusted 133.1 points in January compared to 128.9 points (revised) in the previous month. This compensates for the decline in December. Overall, however, container throughput has stagnated since last summer.
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) rose to 133.1 points in January compared to 128.9 points (revised) in the previous month.
- The North Range Index, which provides an indication of economic development in the northern eurozone and in Germany, rose particularly sharply in January compared to the previous month, climbing from 106.1 (revised) to 110.9 points.
- In the Chinese ports, container throughput was only slightly higher at 141.5 points (revised) compared to 143.0 points in the previous month.
- The RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index for February 2025 will be published on 27 March 2025.
Torsten Schmidt
About the RWI/ISL- Container Throughput Index
The index takes into account container throughput data continuously collected on an ongoing basis by the ISL Monthly Container Port Monitor at 92 international ports, representing approximately 64% of global container throughput. The present flash estimate for the Container Throughput Index relies on data representing approximately 78% of the throughput represented in the index. Since international trade is mainly handles by sea, the development of container throughput provides reliable insights into global merchandise trade. As many ports already report their data a fortnight after the end of each month, the RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index is a reliable early indicator of the international merchandise trade and hence also of global economic activity.
The Container Troughput Index is 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.
