HONG Kong's total port cargo throughput grew 20 percent annually to 62.8 million tons in the first quarter of the year, its Census and Statistics Department said yesterday.

Inward port cargo rose 18 percent to 36 million tons and outward port cargo surged 23 percent to 26.7 million tons.

On a seasonally adjusted quarterly comparison, the total port cargo throughput grew 3 percent in the first quarter. Inward port cargo climbed 2 percent and outward port cargo rose 5 percent.

Seaborne cargo increased 21 percent to 42.1 million tons from the same period last year, while river cargo rose 18 percent to 20.6 million tons.