Water transport services profitability ratio down 12.7% in 2009

Earnings-Expenditure Ratio of the transport and storage services industry decreased to 16.4% in 2009 from 21.1% in 2008.

Singapore Department of Statistics said that within the industry, storage and warehousing registered the highest earning-expenditure ratio of 62.1% in 2009, while the ratios registered by the remaining groups ranged from 13.2% (water transport) to 26.8% (land transport).

Profitability ratio, on the other hand, remained the highest for firms in storage and warehousing services, at 42.1% in 2009. Water transport services registered the lowest profitability ratio, at 12.7%. The ratio was also much lower than the 18.9% recorded in 2008, due to a 43.4% drop n operating surplus for water transport services.