1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/01/2003   
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Contents >> Transport >> International freight activity

Details on the tonnages of freight moved into and out of Australia by sea and air are shown below.

Sea freight activity

The nature of Australia's trade means that the weight of exports (for example, coal, iron ore, and agricultural products) far exceeds that of imports. Most of the tonnage of exports and imports is shipped by bulk carriers or tankers.

Between 1997-98 and 2001-02 the weight of total exports moved by sea increased by 18.3%, from 428 million tonnes to 506 million tonnes (table 23.14). Tonnages of food and live animal exports rose every year between 1997-98 and 2000-01, before falling by 7% in 2001-02 to 28 million tonnes. The export of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials has risen consistently in the five years to 2001-02 (from 181 million tonnes to 223 million tonnes). This commodity group also accounted for the greatest proportion of total exports by weight for 2001-02 (44.1%), whereas for previous years the greatest proportion of tonnage of sea freight exports was of commodities classified to crude materials, inedible, except fuels. The other commodity group, the export of which has increased every year between 1997-98 and 2001-02, is beverages and tobacco.

The weight of total imports increased by 11.4% between 1997-98 and 2001-02, from 52 million tonnes to 58 million tonnes. Over this period beverages and tobacco imports rose by 56.2%, miscellaneous manufactured articles imports by 45%, food and live animal imports by 35.5%, and imports of manufactured goods classified chiefly by material by 23.3%.


23.14 INTERNATIONAL SEA FREIGHT

1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
Commodity group
'000 tonnes
'000 tonnes
'000 tonnes
'000 tonnes
'000 tonnes

EXPORTS

Food and live animals
28,087
28,920
29,910
30,369
28,239
Beverages and tobacco
406
432
576
805
884
Crude materials, inedible, except fuels
197,863
192,479
207,784
222,897
221,780
Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials
180,900
186,903
198,148
218,191
223,125
Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes
414
474
455
484
689
Chemicals and related products n.e.c.
1,307
1,336
1,423
1,949
1,725
Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material
7,507
7,891
7,702
6,836
12,100
Machinery and transport equipment
569
573
629
941
800
Miscellaneous manufactured articles
144
152
202
301
296
Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere in the SITC(a)
10,530
13,392
15,861
13,431
16,540
Total
427,726
432,551
462,690
496,204
506,179

IMPORTS

Food and live animals
1,327
1,362
1,443
1,565
1,798
Beverages and tobacco
185
198
243
311
289
Crude materials, inedible, except fuels
8,979
8,163
8,045
7,863
8,076
Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials
24,321
28,917
26,952
26,369
27,035
Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes
215
208
225
233
245
Chemicals and related products n.e.c.
7,951
8,289
9,196
8,929
9,234
Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material
5,255
5,406
6,327
5,640
6,478
Machinery and transport equipment
2,409
2,352
2,654
2,372
2,512
Miscellaneous manufactured articles
959
1,090
1,204
1,221
1,391
Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere in the SITC(a)
263
246
73
77
742
Total
51,863
56,232
56,361
54,579
57,798

(a) Standard International Trade Classification.

Source: ABS data available on request, International Trade Special Data Service.


Air freight activity

The tonnage of total cargo moved into Australia by air fell by 12.4% in 2001 over the previous year (table 23.15). Tonnage of outgoing freight continued to exceed that of incoming freight (by 20.9% in 2001). In contrast, the tonnage of mail moved out of Australia in 2001 (which increased by 3.9% on 2000 levels) remained 5.9% less than the tonnage of incoming mail (which fell by 4.6% from 2000). In 2001, the Australian airlines accounted for 24.6% of incoming and 29.3% of outgoing cargo.


23.15 SCHEDULED INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE TRAFFIC TO AND FROM AUSTRALIA(a)

2000
2001


Freight
Mail
Total cargo
Freight
Mail
Total cargo
Type of traffic
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes

TRAFFIC TO AUSTRALIA

Qantas Airways Limited
76,526
5,476
82,002
63,724
5,762
69,486
Ansett Australia
7,597
306
7,903
5,361
143
5,504
Other airlines
247,972
9,760
257,732
220,638
8,917
229,555
All airlines
332,095
15,542
347,637
289,723
14,822
304,545

TRAFFIC FROM AUSTRALIA

Qantas Airways Limited
83,426
11,560
94,986
88,034
12,430
100,464
Ansett Australia
8,499
12
8,511
6,256
9
6,265
Other airlines
255,927
1,850
257,777
256,088
1,508
257,596
All airlines
347,852
13,422
361,274
350,379
13,946
364,325

(a) Includes Norfolk Island.

Source: Department of Transport and Regional Services.


Table 23.16 shows the main origin/destination pairs for freight moving into and out of Australia. The tonnage of freight carried fell by 5.9% between 2000 and 2001. The Auckland/Sydney route remains the major contributor, accounting for 7.7% of the total freight carried. The Singapore/Perth and Singapore/Sydney routes recorded the most significant increases in 2001 (8.1% and 4.0% respectively).


23.16 FREIGHT CARRIED, By city pairs(a)

1998
1999
2000
2001
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes

Auckland/Sydney
54,849
54,047
50,090
49,142
Singapore/Melbourne
34,935
51,096
48,574
48,457
Singapore/Sydney
38,758
43,689
46,313
48,164
Hong Kong/Sydney
36,789
34,252
33,976
30,658
Los Angeles/Sydney
26,500
36,061
32,721
27,672
Auckland/Melbourne
32,199
34,722
29,559
30,355
Singapore/Perth
26,160
27,436
27,822
30,073
Hong Kong/Melbourne
23,821
26,031
25,879
23,632
Seoul/Sydney
11,399
12,316
18,792
16,973
Singapore/Brisbane
11,823
14,988
18,337
18,293
Other city pairs
334,674
346,878
347,887
316,684
All city pairs
631,908
681,515
679,948
640,102

(a) The table does not necessarily show the final origin/destination of freight. For example, all freight going to or coming from Europe would require a stopover, generally in Asia.

Source: Department of Transport and Regional Services.



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