Shanghai port reported an 18.8-percent year-on-year rise in container throughput in the first half amid strong economic recovery and booming trade.

The country's largest port handled a record 13.86 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) containers, the Shanghai border inspection authorities said Thursday in a statement.

The port's container throughput would likely beat the earlier projection of 25.5 million TEUs for the whole of 2010, it said.

The Waigaoqiao port area saw container throughput up 13.5 percent to 7.23 million TEUs in the first half. The Yangshan port area recorded an increase of 30.6 percent to 4.7 million TEUs.

Guangzhou port authorities, however, said Saturday they expected to see slower growth in the second half due to plunging demand for coal, iron ore and steel products.

In June, the port bore the brunt of slowing global trade. Cargo throughput was down 1.1 percent year on year to 34.1 million tonnes.