Cargo throughput rose nearly 20 percent in Shanghai in the first half and whole-year performance is expected to exceed previous estimates with global trade gradually recovering, the local port authority said Wednesday.
Container throughput climbed 18.8 percent to 13.86 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) in the first six months of this year. Last year, the figure was 11.67 million TEUs.
The city handled a total of 211.5 million tons of dry bulk goods, a 24.8 percent advance from the same period a year ago.
Waigaoqiao port remains the busiest port in the country with dry bulk cargo throughput climbing 16.5 percent to 67.4 million tons.
Container volume was up 13.5 percent at Waigaoqiao to reach 7.2 million TEUs over the first six months.
Container throughput at the Yangshan Deep-Water Port rose 30.6 percent to 4.7 million TEUs after the Shanghai government's preferential policies attracted shipping companies to use the port as a transfer hub.
"Growth at domestic ports in the second half may not be as strong as the first half and in the long run the growth rate will be between 10 to 15 percent," Bank of China International's Du Jianping wrote in a report. "Government policies as well as economic situation of surrounding markets will also have an impact on their performances," he added.
Shanghai International Port Group, the city's port and cruise terminal operator, said earlier this month that profit in the first half may be around 50 percent more than a year ago.
