RWI/ISL Container Throughput Input Index
Container throughput softens slightly in September, trend still positive
25.10.2024
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.
Torsten Schmidt
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.
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 58% 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.
