The Chinese port of Ningbo-Zhoushan handled seven million TEU and 400 million tons of cargo in 2006, Xinhua reports.

This comes as the port completed construction of five new berths at the phase four container terminal development within the Beilun port area at the end of last year. Berths three and four at the terminal in the Daxie port area have also gone into operation, while a number of other bulk cargo terminals are currently being built.

Last year, the value of Ningbo's trade with Asean nations grew by 23.3 per cent over the previous year to US$4.27 billion.

Ningbo's exports rose by 37.3 per cent to $2.6 billion, while imports increased by 6.3 per cent to $1.66 billion. This created a trade surplus of $944 million, up 180 per cent year on year.

Among the Asean member nations, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore proved to be the largest market for Ningbo's exports. Imports mainly came from Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.

Top items for export were machines, textiles and metals. Asean imports were mainly chemicals, minerals, plastics and rubbers.

The growth in Ningbo's exports to Asean countries was given a boost after China and Asean began offering members preferential tariffs on 7,000 product types in July 2006.