(ECNS) -- The east route of the China-Europe freight rail line, consisting of the Manzhouli, Suifenhe and Tongjiang ports, recorded the passage of 1,443 trains, an increase of 7.6 percent compared with the same period last year, data from Harbin Bureau of China Railway Group on Monday.

The trains transported 151,000 TEU of cargo, an increase of 6.9 percent.

The China-Europe freight train service maintained a surge in demand. The number of returning freight trains through east route ranks first across China.

A new international freight route connecting northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and the Netherlands via Manzhouli port was launched and increased the cargo volume transported in the first quarter of 2024.

The Suifenhe port has witnessed 94 trains in January, , up 28.8 percent year on year, hitting a record high.

At present, the 24-line east route of the China-Europe freight rail line has reached 14 European countries, linking more than 60 cities in China and transporting 10 categories of goods, including electrical products, daily necessities, industrial machinery, metals, agricultural and sideline products and wood.

Renovation projects on Harbin-Suifenhe railway is expected to start in the second quarter, which will effectively improve traffic efficiency.