The handling capacity of China's ports is expected to hit 8
billion tons and 170 million TEUs (twenty-foot container equivalent
units) in 2010, according to information from the on-going China
Ports and Terminals Summit held in north China's Tianjin
Municipality.
The cargo handling capacity of all China's ports totaled 5.6
billion tons and 93 million TEUs last year, both the biggest in the
world for four consecutive years, said Qian Yongchang, head of the
China Communication and Transportation Association, at the summit
on Tuesday.
Last year, China had 12 ports with throughput capacities
exceeding 100 million tons.
Shanghai port handled 530 million tons of cargo last year,
making it the busiest in the world.
Qian said China has been investing heavily in port construction
as the national economy sores and foreign trade increases
steadily.
In 2006, more than 160 construction projects kicked off on
China's seaports, involving 60 billion yuan, up 30 percent
year-on-year.
The priority of the investment in port construction will be put
on expanding capacity and improving comprehensive services, Qian
said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2007)