Asia/Pacific News
2016 Marks New High for Vessel Traffic in Malacca and Singapore Straits
The latest data from the Malaysian Marine Department show transits of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) were up 3.4 percent to a new all time high of 83,740, Seatrade Maritime News reports.
Container ships are reported to have been the largest segment of vessels to transit the SOMS in 2016, accounting for 33 percent of the straits' traffic, increasing to 25,786 in 2016 compared to 25,393 in 2015.
The tanker segment, accounting for a 23 percent share of the SOMS traffic in 2016 - the second largest vessel type in the straits - was up 5.39 percent in 2016 to 19,466 transits, an increase from 18,470 transits in 2015.
Within the tanker segment, VLCCs saw 5,973 transits of straits in 2016, a 12.19 percent percent increase from the previous year, and significantly over the 4.8 percent average annual growth rates that VLCC transits have seen since 2007.
Meanwhile, bulk carrier traffic which has seen relatively consistent growth since 2011 of an average of 4.3 percent, grew only 2.49 percent in 2016 to 15,547.
Last year, officials from Indonesia said the Strait of Malacca has become so busy the Lombok and Makassar straits could take over as the world's main shipping route.
