Cargo throughput at China’s leading ports stood at 500m tons in July, a year-on-year growth rate of 12.9 per cent according to the Ministry of Transport.

Domestic trade cargo throughput rose 12.5 per cent to 310m tons, while foreign trade cargo throughput was up 13.8 per cent to 190m tons.

Container throughput was down 3.8 per cent to 10.1m teu, although this was better than the 10.2 per cent decline recorded in June. The country’s main ports discharged 56.5m tons of iron in July, up 35 per cent year-on-year, while imported crude oil increased 25.9 per cent to 16.27m tons.