QINGDAO, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Shandong Port Group in east China's Shandong Province saw cargo throughput rise 5.1 percent year on year to 340 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2020, the company announced Tuesday.

Its container throughput reached 7.14 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) in the three months to March, up 4 percent year on year.

The company contributed its business growth amid the COVID-19 epidemic to the integrative development of the seven major ports along the coast of Shandong Province.

It has opened five new container sea routes linking with regions including Japan and Southeast Asia and also beefed up rail-sea transport to better serve inland cities in the province.

The company was established in August last year to administer seven ports along Shandong's coastline, aiming to build a world-class seaport cluster by collaborative management.