Cargo throughput in May at China’s leading ports rose 5 per cent from a year earlier to 546m tons, said the Ministry of Transport. This was the third consecutive month of growth, reflecting an increase in demand for the domestic transportation of bulk commodities.

Foreign cargo throughput increased 4.7 per cent year-on-year to 182m tons in May, while domestic cargo throughput was up 5.1 per cent to 364m tons.

Container throughput was expected to total 9.75m teu in May, down 9.7 per cent year-on-year or a fall of 4 per cent on the previous month. The country’s largest port, Shanghai, handled 2.07m teu and saw an increase of 3 per cent in average daily volumes.

Once again, southern ports recorded the steepest falls, being more dependent on overseas demand for consumer goods. Shenzhen Port handled 1.47m teu in May, a year-on-year decline of 16 per cent.