However, freight activity decreased 6.7 percent in October compared to a month earlier to reach 491,000 tons.

The number of ships operating at the port also registered a month-over-month decrease of 5 percent in October to reach 190 ships.

The figures released by the Authority cite, however, an increase in revenues from port activities to $135.3 million in the first ten months of 2009, up from 26.1 percent a year earlier.

Over the same period, freight activity increased 9 percent to reach 5.3 million tons.The number of ships operating at the port also registered a 17.3 percent increase in the first ten months of the year to reach 2002 ships by the end of October.

Comparative figures from last year were not provided.