MINISTRY of Transport figures show that China's ports lifted a total of 16.26 million TEU in September, up 1.9 per cent year on year but the growth was 5.4 per cent slower year on year, Xinhua reports. 

Sea ports handled 14.61 million TEU, up 3.2 per cent. River port volume dropped 8.2 per cent to 1.64 million TEU. 

From January to September, aggregate box throughput of the ports in China grew 7.5 per cent year on year to 140 million TEU, 0.7 percentage points slower year on year. Sea ports handled 125 million TEU, an increase of 7.4 per cent. River port box volume increased 8.3 per cent to 15.17 million TEU.

In the third quarter, the Chinese ports lifted 49.37 million TEU, an increase of 6.1 per cent year on year. The growth was slower quarter by quarter. 

In September, collective throughput tonnage of ports in Chinese increased 5.9 per cent year on year to 898 million tonnes. The growth was 8.1 per cent slower than in August. Sea ports' throughput tonnage climbed 7.4 per cent to 614 million tonnes. River ports' throughput tonnage grew 2.6 per cent to 284 million tonnes. 

From January to September, throughput tonnage of all ports in the country climbed 10.3 per cent to 7.9 billion tonnes year on year in total, which is 3.8 percentage points faster year on year. Sea ports lifted 5.4 million tonnes, up 10.4 per cent. River ports handled 2.4 million tonnes, up 10 per cent. 

In the third quarter, collective throughput tonnage of the ports in China went up 10.6 per cent year on year to 2.7 billion tonnes as growth accelerated. 

In September, foreign trade goods handled by the Chinese ports increased 10.2 per cent to 276 million tonnes, 6.6 percentage point slower compared to August. Sea ports lifted 250 million tonnes, up 10.5 per cent. River ports lifted 25.39 million tonnes, up 7.4 per cent. 

In the first nine months, the foreign trade cargo throughput of all the ports totalled to 2.48 million tonnes, up 9.9 per cent. The growth was 0.9 percentage point slower year on year. Sea ports handled 2.26 billion tonnes, up 9.8 per cent. River ports handled 223 million tonnes, up 10.8 per cent. 

The third quarter's national port foreign trade throughput grew 13 per cent year on year to 844 million tonnes. The growth was 3.6 percentage points faster than in the first quarter and 5.6 percentage points faster than in the second quarter.