The Port of Brisbane Corporation (PBC) had a trade record of 26.7 million tonnes of imports/exports in the 2005/06 financial year, an increase of 736,096 tonnes (2.8 per cent) from 2004/05.

PBC CEO Jeff Coleman said export and import trade had increased.

"Brisbane's export trade has grown 5.1 per cent (574,662 tonnes) to reach 11.8 million tonnes, while imports have grown 1.1 per cent (161,434 tonnes) to reach 14.9 million tonnes for the period," he said.

Container trade had grown in the last five years. Exports of full containers increased 8.3 per cent and imported full containers 9.9 per cent.

Last November, Forkliftaction News reported global container movements had increased 10 per cent. (Forkliftaction.com News #286)

Coleman said regional demand for coal and other energy-based commodities, driven largely by China's strong economic growth, had increased Brisbane's coal exports by 12.2 per cent to a record 4.1 million tonnes.

Meat exports had grown, driven largely by demand from Japan after outbreaks in the United States of mad cow disease.

A PBC statement said refined oil and gas imports reached a record 1.1 million tonnes, and iron, steel and cement imports hit record highs.

It said retail imports remained strong, increasing eight per cent.

PBC returned a AUD35.8 million dividend to shareholders in 2005/06, an increase of 53.3 per cent on 2004/05.