Hong Kong set a new record in its container throughput in 2002 by handling 19.1 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers, making it once again the world's busiest container port — for the ninth time in the last 10 years.

    About 437 000 vessels arrived in and departed from Hong Kong during the year. These vessels carried about 192 million tonnes of cargo and about 21 million passengers. Most of these passengers commuted on the world's largest fleet of high-speed ferries, including jetfoils and jet catamarans, to and from Macau and other ports in southern China.

    Being the junction of two different forms of maritime transport — the large ocean-going vessels from the Pacific Ocean and the smaller, coastal and river trade craft from the Pearl River — and the only modern, fully developed deep water harbour between Singapore and Shanghai, Hong Kong is the focal point of all maritime trading activities in southern China.

    On an average day there are around 100 ocean-going ships working in the port; some 600 river trade craft entering or leaving the port; and many river ferries and local craft working in or passing through the harbour. Ship turnaround performance is among the best in Asia: container ships at terminal berths are routinely turned round in 10 hours or less, while conventional vessels working cargo at buoys are in port for only 1.2 days on average.