China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan port has posted a 6.1% year-on-year increase in container throughput volumes for 2015, according to the latest figures released by the local authorities.

Ningbo-Zhoushan port handled a total throughput of 20.62m teu in 2015, increasing by 6.1% compared to the volumes of 19.44m teu recorded in 2014.

The Chinese port authority said Ningbo-Zhoushan port is ranked the world’s fourth busiest container port in 2015, after its volumes surpassed Hong Kong’s 2015 volumes at 20.11m teu.

Over the past five years, investments of over RMB420bn ($64bn) have been made to upgrade and further develop the Chinese port, including the construction of iron ore berths that can accommodate the 400,000 dwt valemaxes.

In the next five years, the port authority has committed to increase throughput capacity at the port for it to be able to handle up to 32m teu annually.

Ningbo port and Zhoushan port have completed a merger in September last year and assumed a new entity named Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group. The container throughput of the ports are recorded under Ningbo-Zhoushan port, with Ningbo accounting for the majority of volumes.