FUJIAN ports collectively handled 3.64 million TEU over the first three quarters of the year, an increase of 14.5 per cent over the same period last year, according to the Fujian Provincial Bureau of Statistics.

Within this total, 2.48 million TEU passed through Xiamen Port, up 15.5 per cent year-on-year, and ranking the port seventh in China in terms of container throughput.

Meanwhile, Fuzhou Port saw its throughput rise 12.1 per cent to 590,000 TEU. Quanzhou Port's container volumes reached 460,000 TEU, an increase of 14 per cent compared to the first three quarters of 2004.

State media reported that from January to September, the volume of cargo passing through Fujian's seaports grew by 20.5 per cent to 138.56 million tons, of which Xiamen port handled 35.17 million tons, Fuzhou Port 52.02 million tons and Quanzhou Port 28.09 million tons.

Xiamen Port handled 280,000 TEU in September, ranking it the seventh biggest in terms of container volumes for September.