Shanghai Port, the world's busiest container port, saw container throughput exceed 47 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last year.

Chinese state media reported that with this, Shanghai Port ranked first globally for 12 consecutive years despite the Covid-19 impact on the shipping industry.

Citing port data, Xinhua news agency said last year, the port handled 32 million TEUs in foreign trade and 6.3 million TEUs in domestic trade. 

"The throughput of international transit containers at the port exceeded 6 million TEUs for the first time, or a year-on-year increase of 13.4%, according to the Shanghai International Port Group Co., Ltd," the report added.

It said technological support such as automatic terminals and intelligent heavy trucks has played an important role in achieving the growth amid disruptions brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report said Shanghai Port is also ramping up its digital transformation and production mode to boost the "operation potential" and ensure the stability of the industrial chain and supply chain.

In the year prior, Shanghai Port posted a new record container volume of 43.5 million TEUs in 2020, retaining the title of the world’s busiest container port for the 11th year in a row then.