SHANGHAI's annual near full year container volume reached 30 million TEU on Friday, December 23, a world record, while China-wide, major box port throughput to date was up 12 per cent to 149.1 million TEU year on year, according to the China Communications Ministry. 

Shanghai port, which started container traffic in 1978, has experienced rapid development of container traffic, with volumes reaching 10 million TEU in 2003 and 20 million in 2006, reported Xinhua. 

The port became the world's busiest in 2010, with the largest goods volume handling capacity and container traffic volume. 

Experts say the rapid development of the container traffic in Shanghai underscores the impact of China's sustained economic growth on global trade patterns as well as the port's efforts to upgrade systems to improve competitive advantage, said Xinhua. 

Xinhua also said statistics from the ministry show that during the January to November period the country's major ports handled 8.32 billion tonnes of goods, an increase of 13 per cent year on year.