#Ports&Shipping -The latest IMDO Weekly Shipping Market Review reports that total exports in the Irish Economy last year hit their highest level ever at 16 per cent above the pre-crisis high, Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton has said. Mr Bruton said total exports were now at €182bn, after figures from the CSO showed a record trade surplus of €46bn.

Key Ports throughput in the Northern European Container Market witnessed a slight rise in throughput between December and January 2013, however, a year-on-year comparison shows total volume down 3.5 per cent, as noted by Drewry's Container Insight Weekly.

In the LNG Markets, there is rapid Chinese import demand as a newbuild order for 10 LNG carriers is in line with China Inc's strategy to ramp up its gas carrier ownership, as it becomes a more dominant presence in the industry. Japan, the industry's top importer is still way ahead of China, with annual imports of 87 million tonnes, compared to China's yearly imports of 15 million tonnes.

To read more of each of the above stories and other news, they can be viewed or downloaded as a PDF from the IMDO Shipping Markets Review for Week 12.