BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- China's cargo throughput at ports grew by 6.6 percent to around 4.3 billion tonnes in the first four months of this year compared with a year ago, official data showed.

At the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) expanded the statistical range from major ports to all ports across the country.

In April alone, cargo throughput at ports stood at 1.14 billion tonnes, the MOT said on its website.

Foreign trade cargo throughput amounted to 1.38 billion tonnes in the Jan-April period, up 2.6 percent year-on-year, while the reading came in at 345.25 million tonnes in April, according to the report.

Meanwhile, container throughput at ports enjoyed a 5.7-percent year-on-year rise to 82.27 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) in the first four months, the report said.

Such growth came amid China's steadily growing waterway freight volume, which saw an 8.6-percent rise compared with the same period a year ago.