PORTS in northeastern Liaoning province posted a 21.6 per cent first quarter year on year increase in container volume to 3.27 million TEU, Xinhua reports.

Port of Dalian lifted 1.65 million TEU, up 25.4 per cent, ranking seventh among all seaports in China.

Aggregate throughput at provincial ports increased 13.5 per cent to 215 million tonnes. Dalian's overall throughput grew 10 per cent to 92.74 million tonnes; Yinkou's increased 14 per cent to 75.32 million tonnes; Dandong's increased 33.5 per cent to 20.55 million tonnes and Jinzhou's increased 11.1 per cent to 17.94 million tonnes.

This year, ports in Liaoning province strengthened their businesses of moving bulk in containers and sea-rail intermodal and has successfully boosted their box throughput. By the end of this year, the province's container throughput is expected to hit 14 million TEU. Dalian's container volume is estimated to top eight million TEU this year and 10 million TEU next year.