The port of Singapore handled 28.4 million TEUs in 2010, a growth of close on 10 percent as the container shipping market recovered strongly, although last year's throughput was still short of 2008's 29.9 million record.

Total cargo throughput also increased by 6.4 percent to 502.5 million tonnes from 472.3 million tonnes in the previous year.

Singapore's strong recovery helped PSA International handle 65.12 million TEUs at its port projects around the world last year.

The group showed a marked increase of 14.4 percent over 2009 on the back of contributions from its flagship PSA Singapore Terminals that contributed 27.68 million TEUs, up 10.1 percent, and PSA terminals outside Singapore that handled 37.44 million TEUs, up 17.8%.

Eddie Teh, group CEO of PSA International, said volumes handled in 2010 worldwide were higher than anticipated "helped by a much stronger recovery in the first seven months of the year".

"However, the lower growth rate in the last five months up to December 2010 indicates that weaknesses in the major global economies still persist and growth in 2011 is expected to be uneven and cannot be taken for granted," he warned