Zhoushan Port in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, sees a 7.16 percent year-on-year increase in cargo throughput in the first eight months of this year. [Photo/WeChat account: china-zjftz]

Zhoushan Port in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, saw a 7.16 percent year-on-year increase in cargo throughput in the first eight months of this year, local media recently reported.

The port delivered 386 million metric tons of cargo over this period, accounting for nearly 50 percent of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port's total throughput.

Oil and natural gas, grain, and iron ore made up the largest portion of Zhoushan Port's cargo throughput and surged 52.14 percent, 28.13 percent, and 1.37 percent year-on-year to 82.27 million tons, 5.68 million tons, and 11.745 million tons, respectively.

Moreover, Zhoushan Port ranked first nationwide with a 7.5 percent year-on-year increase in cargo throughput in the first seven months of this year.

Due to fluctuations in international oil prices and the port's export tax rebate policies, it  has become more attractive to ship owners than the Port of Singapore.

In the Jan-August period, Zhoushan Port refueled 2.81 million tons of bonded oil, a year-on-year increase of 13.4 percent, provided international ships with $1.51 billion in supplies, including $440 million in materials, and piloted 7,670 ships, a yearly increase of 22 percent.

In addition, a total of 172 million tons of cargo processed at Zhoushan Port were delivered via river-ocean combined transportation.

In other news, Shulanghu Port, the largest iron ore transfer terminal in China, has accommodated 151 ships since it began operating four years ago, with a total throughput of more than 100 million tons.