Israel's port of Haifa handled a record 719,883 TEU during the first half of 2012, an increase of some 12 per cent over the year-earlier period, Port2Port reported.

According to data released by the Shipping and Ports Authority (S&PA), the port's market share increase by 4 per cent during the same period.

In the transshipment sector, Haifa registered an increase of 18 per cent during the first six months, while in total the port handled 12.2m tonnes, an increase of 7 per cent compared with the year-earlier period.