RWI/ISL Container Throughput Input Index
Container traffic showing signs of recovery in European ports
28.03.2024
According to the latest flash estimate by the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL), the Container Throughput Index has increased compared with January to reach 129.5 points in February. Without the notable decline of container traffic in Chinese ports, the increase would have been much stronger. In European ports, container traffic increased by almost three per cent.
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) increased to 129.5 points in February after a 128.5 points (revised) in January.
- Container throughput fell notably in Chinese ports. The index value dropped from 145.6 points (revised) to 142.0 points. However, the Chinese New Year may somehow distort the actual development.
- The North Range Index, which gives an indication of economic development in the northern eurozone and Germany, shows a strong increase from a revised 101.0 points in January to 104.0 points in February.
- The RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index for March 2024 will be published on 26 April 2024.
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 per cent of global container throughput. The present flash estimate for the Container Throughput Index relies on data representing approximately 42 per cent 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.
