Singapore - Container traffic in Singapore's port slumped 19.8 per cent in February compared with a year ago as the shipping industry is hit hard by the ongoing decline in worldwide trade.

The container traffic through the city-state's port reached 1.85 million 20-foot equivalent units in February, down from
2.31 million units in February last year, according to preliminary estimates published Saturday on the website of the Maritime and Port Authority Singapore.

The decline from January to February came to 6.28 per cent as February saw container traffic shrink for the seventh-straight month.

In the wake of the global recession, international container shippers have posted big slumps in traffic and cut down on shipping lines and capacity. (dpa)