HANGZHOU -- Ningbo Zhoushan port, China's busiest port, saw cargo throughput exceed 1.1 billion tonnes in 2019, official statistics showed.

This makes the port in eastern China's Zhejiang province the only one in the world to exceed such volume, according to statistics released by Zhejiang port and shipping management center.

The container throughput at the port surpassed 27.53 million standard containers last year, ranking third in the world.

Ningbo Zhoushan Port has been expanding the varieties of goods, with steady business growth in sectors such as iron ore, coal and grain.

The port also launched sea-rail transport services with 17 trains providing services to 50 cities in 15 provincial-level regions in China.

Container handling volume of its sea-rail transport has surpassed 800,000 standard containers last year, ranking second in the country following Qingdao Port.

Last year, the port has rolled out an evaluation and incentive mechanism to provide better services for shipping companies, saving around $30 million of fuel cost for them and improving the work efficiency at the port.