SHANGHAI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai ports exported 529,000 vehicles in the first quarter of 2024, up 30.7 percent from the same period last year, Shanghai customs said Thursday.

During the period, the customs in the city's Waigaoqiao port area handled more than 280,000 exported vehicles, an over 20 percent year-on-year increase.

At present, nearly 40 foreign trade companies that offer "ro-ro" (roll-on/roll-off) shipping services have opened car-shipping routes in the Waigaoqiao port area, covering more than 110 countries and regions around the world, said Shanghai customs.

In the first quarter, Yangshan customs, a subsidiary of Shanghai customs, handled 114,000 exported vehicles via the "ro-ro" terminal of the city's Nangang wharf, among which the new energy vehicles accounted for more than 70 percent.