Strong growth in river trade and midstream activities made up for a weak performance at Hong Kong's main terminals last year, pushing a record number of boxes through the port despite growing competition from facilities in Shenzhen.

About 20.45 million boxes moved across Hong Kong's docks last year, 5.92 million of which flowed down the Pearl River by barge from Guangdong.

The secondary trades - midstream and river - largely compensated for marginal growth at the main terminals in Kwai Chung, where throughput expanded 1.5 per cent year on year to 12.07 million teu (20-ft equivalent units).