Shenzhen port overtook Hong Kong by container volume in the first three quarters and is expected to be the world's third-largest container port this year, National Business Daily reported Tuesday.

Container flow through Shenzhen reached 17.28 million 20-foot equivalent units of containers in the first nine months, while Hong Kong handled 16.34 million TEU of containers, according to data released at the 2013 China (Shenzhen) International Logistics and Transportation Fair.

Even though both ports are export-oriented and were hit by falling international trade after the global financial crisis, Shenzhen performed better than Hong Kong.

Shenzhen has been boosted by China's efforts to improve domestic port facilities and also by a rebound in exports, a report by the Shanghai International Shipping Institute states.

There were six months in 2012 in which Shenzhen's port throughput surpassed Hong Kong's. But Hong Kong managed to maintain its status as the world's third-largest port at the end of last year with a slender advantage of 150,000 TEUs.