More than 200 vessels were cleared at the Matautu Wharf between January and June this year, despite the economic downturn brought on by the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Statistics released by the Samoa Bureau of Statistics [S.B.S.], which is based on data collected from shipping forms and cargo manifests that were submitted to the local port authorities, show that the total number of international seagoing vessels cleared in Apia over the first six months of this year totalled 254.

The total number of seagoing vessels accepted for tabulation was one 111 which consisted of 68 container vessels, 33 general cargo vessels, and 10 mineral oil tankers.

A total of 91 vessels carried inward cargo while 85 vessels returned with outward cargo.

Therefore, the total number of international seagoing vessels cleared at the port of Apia in the first six months of 2020 was 254.

There were also 143 vessels excluded from tabulation as they do not have the required information. These vessels included those in the categories of research/naval, yacht, cruise ships and fishing vessels.

The S.B.S. report did not include data on domestic services and the Apia-Pago Pago route.

Furthermore, if a vessel calls in more than once, its subsequent calls are recorded as a separate vessel.

The analysis of cargo discharged at the port of Apia also showed that 91 vessels discharged a combined total of 124,272 metric tonnes of cargo of which 47.4 per cent [58,942 metric tonnes] was from the Oceanic region [mostly New Zealand], 42.3 per cent [52,598 metric tonnes] came from the Asian region [mostly Singapore, and 10.2 per cent [12,733 metric tonnes] from the American region.

The report also showed that 85 vessels loaded a combined total of 27,877 metric tonnes of cargo of which 75.5 per cent [25,831 metric tonnes] were destined for the Oceanic region [mostly to Tonga], 13 per cent [3,613 metric tonnes] were loaded for the American region [all to the United States of America] and the remaining 11.6 per cent [3,227 metric tonnes] was loaded for the Asian region [mostly Korea].

And out of the 111 vessels that arrived, only 91 vessels carried inward cargo and 85 vessels returned with outward cargo. 

The 91 vessels with inward cargo comprised 55 container vessels, 26 general cargo vessels and 10 mineral oil tanker vessels while the 85 vessels returned with outward cargo consisted of 55 container vessels and 30 general cargo vessels.  

A comparative analysis of six month shipping reports over the last two years show that the total number of vessels that arrived increased from 91 to 138 while vessels that departed ranged from 66 to 99.

On the other hand, cargo discharged ranged from 124,271 to 190,370 metric tonnes while cargo loaded ranged from 23,189 to 37,397 metric tonnes.