Cargo throughput at Chinese ports rose 17.5 per cent year-on-year in June to 598m tons, the fourth consecutive monthly rise. This was 0.7 per cent higher than in May. However, container throughput continued to decline.

International cargo throughput rose 9.9 percent to 408m tons while domestic cargo increased 37.8 per cent to 189.9m tons.

Shenzhen, one of China’s largest ports, has experienced a recent upturn in shipments to Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It exported US$7.85bn-worth of goods to Asean in the first half of this year, up 10.8 percent year-on-year, according to Shenzhen Customs House.