The January flash forecast is based on a sample of 39 ports handling roughly 75% of the traffic represented in the index. Thanks to this relatively broad basis, it can be expected that it will only be revised slightly during the next months.
It is regularly tested which port should be included in the index. Starting with the first figure for 2013 two ports has been removed from the index which did not publish monthly data in the recent months. Three ports have been added, now the index is based on data for 73 ports handling approximately 60% of global container throughput.
The Index is based on data of world container ports which are continuously monitored by the ISL as part of their market analysis. Because large parts of international merchandise trade are transported by ship, the development of port handling is a good indicator for world trade. As many ports release information about their activities only two weeks after the end of the respective month, the RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index is a reliable early indicator for the development of international merchandise trade and hence for the activity of the global economy.
The RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index for February 2013 will be published on March 20th, 2013.