Trade performance
Summary of the Port of Melbourne’s trade performance in 2022-23
| Cargo type | Throughput 2022-23 | % change on 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|
| Total trade | 108.9 million revenue tonnes | +1.2% |
| Containers (TEU) | 3.19 million TEU | -1.4% |
| New motor vehicles | 5.8 million revenue tonnes (387,991 units) | +21.8% |
| Liquid bulk | 5.8 million revenue tonnes | +5.1% |
| Dry bulk | 5.5 million revenue tonnes | +1.3% |
| Breakbulk | 10.3 million revenue tonnes | +5.9% |
More detail for 2022-23
Total trade
Total trade through the Port of Melbourne for FY23 increased by 1.2% over the previous financial year to a record 108.9 million revenue tonnes. Total imports increased just 0.6% to 60.4 million revenue tonnes and total exports increased by 1.8% to 48.5 million revenue tonnes.
Overseas imports increased just 0.5% to 48.4 million revenue tonnes and overseas exports increased by 2.1% to 37.2 million revenue tonnes. Coastal imports increased by 1.2% to 12.0 million revenue tonnes and coastal exports also increased 1.2% to 11.3 million revenue tonnes.
Container trade
Total container throughput for the 2022-23 financial year was 3.19 million TEU which represented a 1.4% decline over the 3.23 million TEU recorded in FY22. Full containers decreased by 3.2% with imports and exports down 3.5% and 2.6% respectively, while empty containers movements increased by 3.7% to 885,000 TEU. The decline in full container throughput was primarily attributable to the 3.5% decrease in imports as inflationary pressures and interest rate rises impacted consumer spending. In addition, lower volumes of stockfeed, dairy products and timber were the main contributors to the FY23 decline in full container exports.
New motor vehicles
New motor vehicle trade increased 21.8% in FY23 to 5.8 revenue million tonnes, which equated to 387,991 units. Imports gained 26.2% while exports declined 1.2%.
Liquid bulk
Liquid bulk increased 5.1% to 5.8 million revenue tonnes (4.6 million mass tonnes), with petroleum product imports accounting for almost 89% of the total FY23 liquid bulk trade. There were no crude oil imports recorded in FY23 following the closure of the Mobil Altona refinery in August 2021. Increased demand for petroleum-based fuels, particularly aviation fuel, was the main trade responsible for the increase. This is underpinned by continuing strong air travel following the easing of COVID-19 related restrictions on international travel and Australian state border closures in late 2021.
Dry bulk
FY23 dry bulk trade increased by 1.3% to 5.5 million revenue tonnes (5.2 million mass tonnes). This increase was entirely attributable to the export sector which increased 9.1% to 1.8 million revenue tonnes following another above average winter crop in FY23. Declines in export shipments of both wheat and barley were offset by stronger export volumes of canola. The import sector declined 2.1% to 3.7 million revenue tonnes with volumes of cement, fly ash and fertilizers all below FY22 levels.