The number of container units handled by mainland ports this
year hit 100 million yesterday, highlighting the country's position
as a major player in the industry worldwide.
"China's container transportation has reached world levels both
in handling efficiency and building networks, greatly contributing
to the prosperous shipping industries of Northeast Asia and the
world," Xu Zuyuan, vice-minister of communications, said yesterday
at a ceremony in Tianjin Port held to celebrate the milestone.
To date, for every two containers traveling along shipping lines
in the Pacific, one is from China. The country also manufactures 90
percent of the world's containers, he said.
"The contribution of the container industry to the global
economy is no less than those of the Internet in modern times," Xu
said.
To further build the country from a "large" ocean-shipping
nation to a "strong" one, the government will invest more in areas
such as innovation and policy implementation.
It will also continue to encourage more cooperation among ports
and shipping companies, Xu said.
Although the development of China's container industry started
at least 20 years later than those of developed countries, the
throughput of cargo and containers at its ports has been the
largest in the world for the past five years, with an annual growth
rate of 35 percent.
The first overseas container reached China in September 1973 at
Tianjin Port, which later set up the country's first container
berth in 1980.
The 90s saw rapid growth in the container transportation
industry, and in 2002 China overtook the United States to become
the world's top handler of containers.
Last year, the country handled 5.6 billion tons of cargo and 93
million TEUs (20-foot container equivalent units). Twelve ports
recorded cargo throughput of more than 100 million tons, with
Shanghai handling 530 million tons, making it the world's busiest
port.
Song Dexing, director of the ministry's water transport
department, said water transportation accounts for more than 90
percent of foreign trade cargo delivery, including 95 percent of
imported crude oil and 99 percent of imported iron ore.
"Containers are further connecting China's middle and western
regions to the global market, under a rational ports distribution
plan combining coastal areas and inner rivers," he said.
However, the country is still a long way from meeting the
growing demand of its rapidly expanding economy, he said.
"The container industry must move away from traditional
transportation and toward comprehensive logistics and service
industries," Song said.
(China Daily November 29, 2007)
