BEIJING — China's cargo throughput at ports climbed 8.3 percent year-on-year to 12.7 billion tons in the first 11 months, official data showed.

Foreign trade cargo throughput amounted to 3.96 billion tons in the January-November period, up 4.7 percent year-on-year.

Meanwhile, container throughput at ports registered a 4.5 percent increase to around 239.5 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) in the same period.

At the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Transport 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 6.8 billion tons in the first 11 months.