BEIJING, Jan. 27 -- China's cargo throughput at ports climbed 8.8 percent year on year to 13.95 billion tonnes in 2019, official data showed.

Foreign trade cargo throughput amounted to 4.32 billion tonnes last year, up 4.8 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Transport (MOT).

Meanwhile, container throughput at ports registered a 4.4-percent increase to around 261.1 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) in the same period.

At the beginning of 2019, the MOT expanded the statistical range from major ports to all ports across the country.

The cargo throughput growth at ports came amid the steady expansion of China's waterway freight volume, which increased 6.3 percent year on year to 7.47 billion tonnes in 2019.