Workers load a ship with magnesium pellets at Rugao Port on Feb 13. Goods stored in a total of 54 twenty-foot container equivalent units (TEU) will be loaded and transported to Xiangtan, Central China’s Hunan province on Feb 14. [Photo/ntfabu.com] 

Employees at Rugao Port in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province have been hard at work since the start of the Spring Festival to ensure a steady of supply of goods, local officials said on Feb 13. 

According to the local transport bureau, the port handled 314,026.3 tons of goods in January, including 19,385 TEUs. 

In recent years, the port has been cooperating with international shipping companies, including Mediterranean Shipping Company, CMA CGM Group, Maersk Line and Far-Eastern Shipping Company as part of efforts to increase its international presence. 

The port mainly focuses on the import of stone materials, woods, coffee beans, lubricant and grains. It currently operates five shipping routes to South China, North China and the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River. 

Construction of a new wharf was finished in January which will increase the port's annual throughput capacity with 2.85 million tons when starting operation.