THE Port of Dalian handled 1.67 million TEU in 2003, up 24 per cent compared with 2002.

According to figures from China's Ministry of Communication, foreign boxes accounted for 1.43 million TEU, an increase of 25 per cent.

At present, said the ministry, about 90 per cent of the import and export trade by sea in the northeastern part of China is going through Dalian Port.

The port Dalian has 55 ocean-going services, with more than 300 departures each month.

In addition, the port and the railway authority have joined together to operate container train services from the port to the northeastern part of China, with more than 40 departures each week.

Elsewhere, Taizhou Port in Jiangsu Province set a new throughput record by handling eight million tons of cargo last year.

Import and export trade going through the port in 2003 amounted to 1.34 million tons, up 73 per cent year-on-year; while foreign trade container throughput was 17,600 TEU, an increase of 90 per cent over 2002.

Meanwhile, ports along the Changjiang river handled 300 million tons of cargo last year, an increase of 17.2 per cent over 2002, a new record for these ports.

Foreign trade accounted for 44 million tons, up 17.4 per cent while foreign container throughput hit 1.4 million TEU, a 32 per cent year-on-year rise.