Dubai-based DP World reported gross container volume growth of 8.2 per cent across its global portfolio for the first half of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.

The firm said it handled a total of 34 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) between January and June this year.

Its terminals in Asia Pacific and India accounted for close to half, at 46 per cent, of the total containers handled, followed by Europe, Middle East and Africa (Emea) at 42 per cent. The Americas and Australia accounted for the rest.

“Given the encouraging first half performance, we remain well placed to meet full year 2017 market expectations,” DP World Group chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said in a statement.

Year-on-year, growth in the second quarter of 2017 appeared to be more buoyant across all regions, with double-digit growth in Emea and the smaller Americas & Australia region.

Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port accounted for 54 per cent, or 7.7 million TEUs, of DP World’s Emea volume and 22 per cent of the total, during the first half of the year.

The port, however, underperformed compared to the overall container volume, growing merely 4.3 per cent year-on-year in the first half and slightly higher - at 6.6 per cent - in the second quarter of the year.