A crane unloads a ship at Rugao Port in Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, on July 12. [Photo/VCG]

Cargo throughput at Rugao Port increased 38 percent year on year to 7.92 million tons in June, setting a new record for monthly throughput, according to the city's transportation department.

Over the first six months of 2020, the port's total cargo throughput was 6.85 million tons, up 83 percent year on year, while container throughput grew 21 percent to 213,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEU).

This significant growth was a result of mature industrial development in the hinterland and neighboring regions, as well as cooperation with leading shipping companies.

Ceramics products from Guangzhou, Quanzhou, and northeastern regions use the port to enter central Jiangsu province, while cardboard produced in northern Jiangsu province departs from the port to other places around the country.

Imports and exports that pass through the port are mainly bulk commodities and liquid petrochemical products.

According to a spokesperson for the port, iron imported from Australia and South America has allowed the production of large-scale iron plants in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and coal from Russia supplies electric power plants along the river.

Meanwhile, methanol and mixed arene from the Middle East, and base oil and biodiesel from Japan and the Philippines are delivered to petrochemical plants in the Yangtze River Delta region and the upper reaches of the river.

In an effort to improve the port's competitiveness, another two berths will open this year. The local customs has also worked to streamline administrative procedures and improve efficiency.