Container volume at eight major Chinese ports like Port of Shanghai — the world's busiest container port in 2020 — Port of Tianjin, the largest port in Northern China and the main maritime gateway to Beijing, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Xiamen, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen edged slower in early June dragged by the Covid-19 cases found at South China Port.

Container volume increased by 2.3% during the period from double-digit growths seen in the past couple of weeks like the 13.3% surge seen in mid-May. It said domestic volumes rose 15.2%.

Among the ports, the China Ports and Harbors Association said Tianjin  — a major port city in northeastern China — saw a growth rate of over 30%.

Cargo throughput at major coastal Chinese ports was also up 4.4% (from 5.2% in mid-May), while the international trade cargo volume surged higher than its year-ago performance increasing 10.5% from the 6.8% growth recorded in mid-May.

Meanwhile, crude oil shipments at major coastal ports dropped 0.8% in early June from 8.9% year-on-year in mid-May. Port inventory increased 7.2%.

For the period cargo throughput at the ports of Nanjing, Wuhan, and Chongqing — major Yangtze river gateways — was up 18.7% and 7.7% respectively.

Port of Chongqing is the biggest river port in the southwest of China.