Ghana Shippers Authority official data say the country's total maritime trade for the period January to December, 2010, amounted to 13.9 million metric tonnes. This was made up of about 10.6 million metric tonnes of imports and 3.3 million tonnes of exports. The port of Tema handled 75 percent of the total trade, while the port of Takoradi handled the remaining 25 percent for the period. Comparing the 2010 figures to the previous year's performance shows an increase of about 16 percent in the total trade. Total import for the review period was 19 percent more than what was obtained in the previous year. Total exports also increased by seven percent over the previous year's tonnage. During the year under review, total transit trade amounted to 504,023 metric tonnes, slightly higher than 2009's figure of 461,142 metric tonnes. This was about nine percent higher than what was recorded for 2009. Total import for last year was 10.6 million metric tonnes. This comprised 4.68 million metric tonnes of liner items representing 44.18 percent, while pry bulk items recorded 2.93 million metric tonnes representing 27.68 percent, and 2.98 million metric tonnes for liquid bulk items registering 28.14 percent. The data show that the liner import trade for 2010 comprised items such as iron, steel, pipes and plates amounted to 565,300 metric tonnes, whiles, processed foods and chemicals recorded 517,900 334,900 metric tonnes respectively. Other items included were tiles; 254,800, frozen meat and food; 244,900, machinery and equipment; 212,600, polythene raw materials; 211,890 and bagged rice; 209,600 metric tonnes. The data indicates that there was an increase of five percent in the total liner import during the review period. Major items like iron, steel, plates, pipes recorded 25 percent increase, whiles processed food/ beverages and chemical increase by 11 percent and 14 percent respectively. Other items that showed increases in their quantity were tiles (17%), machinery and equipment (52%), polythene raw materials (32%), and second-hand clothing (43%). Items that showed decreases in the tonnage imported include rice (45%), bagged sugar (28%), bagged cement (71 %), mining/smelting supplies (11 %), textiles and yarn (40%), and vehicles (6%). The year also saw total dry bulk import registering 2.9 million metric tonnes, nearly a 50 percent increase over the 2009 performance. Clinker was the major import item in this trade recording 48 percent of the total dry bulk import trade. This was followed by cement with 12 percent and limestone 6.87 percent. Bulk grains had nearly 16 percent share while fertilizer recorded five percent. According to the data, majority of the maritime import for 2010 came from the Far East and North Continent ranges, each of which recorded 3.1 million metric tonnes or 29 percent and 2.49 million metric tonnes or 24 percent respectively of the total import for the period. The maritime import from the other range recorded 1.6 million metric tonnes or 16 percent, followed by the African range with over 1.3 million metric tonnes representing 13 percent. The Mediterranean Europe also recorded 1.09 million metric tonnes or 10 percent with the North America and the UK ranges recording about six percent and two respectively. During the year, majority of the items were exported to the North Continent and the Far East ranges. The North Continent receives a total of 1.16 metric tonnes (34%) while the Far East range had a tonnage of 1.12 million metric tonnes or 33 percent of total export. A total of 331,268 metric tonnes which amounted to nine percent was shipped to the Mediterranean Europe range followed by the Africa range had 150,574 metric tonnes representing 4.46 percent. The others were UK with 100,112 metric tonnes representing about 2.9 % and the North America with 88,745 metric tonnes representing 2.6 percent. Regarding the performance of the shipping agents for the year, a total of 65 shipping agents were involved in the maritime trade of the 13.9 million metric tonnes of cargo. A total of 35 shipping agents took part in the liner trade for the period under review representing 45.70 percent. The highest performer in the liner trade was Maersk Ghana Limited with 1.4 million metric tonnes or 9.89 percent. Delmas Shipp/CMA CGM was the next highest performer with 892,109 metric tonnes or 6.38 percent, while MSCA Ghana limited was third with 576,580 metric tonnes representing 4.13 percent. Source: B&F