Throughput of general cargo along the Yangtze trunkline totalled 100m tons in June, up 14.5 per cent compared with the same month last year, according to statistics released by the Yangtze River Administration under the Ministry of Transport. Out of this total, foreign trade-related cargo throughput soared by 38 per cent to 13.5m tons on the back of increased imports of commodities such as iron ore. Container throughput fell by nearly 16 per cent to 550,000 teu.

The total throughput of general cargo during the first half of the year rose by 3.2 per cent year-on-year to 518m tons, of which foreign trade-related cargo rose by 18.5 per cent to 71.98m tons. Container throughput fell by 13.4 per cent to 2.94m teu. Officials from the administration believe that the second half of the year will see a steady increase in general cargo throughput.