The Port of Melbourne is reporting impressive growth in the amount of stuff coming through.  Total trade in revenue tonnes for April 2018 was 5.6 percent higher than the same month a year ago, and 8.9 percent up for the financial year to date.

Total container exports increased 4.3 percent, while imports for the month went up 1.7 percent.  Total container throughput (full + empty) for April totaled 226,867 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit).  That's 3.0 percent above April 2017 and up 8.4 percent for the financial year to date.

Motor vehicle trade increased for the fourth consecutive month with a 21.4 percent increase over April 2017 to be up 9.4 percent 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 percent and imports of commercial vehicles up 29.9 percent.

Liquid bulk trade reversed a three month decline, returning a 21.6 percent increase over April 2017 and 1.0 percent on the year to date.  The main commodities responsible for the monthly increase were crude oil - up 13.5 percent, a 23,700 ton increase - and other petroleum products - up 40.0 percent or 79,600 tons.