TIANJIN — The throughput of cargo destined for Belt and Road countries at North China's Tianjin Port accounted for over 60 percent of the port's total as of late January, according to local authorities.

The port had handled more than 20 million 20-foot equivalent unit containers by late December last year, a landmark figure, according to the port's operator.

Ports are a barometer of economic development. Tianjin Port on the coast of the Bohai Sea is a pivotal shipping outlet for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The port in the Tianjin municipality currently has over 133 cargo routes, extending trade ties with more than 800 ports in over 200 countries and regions.