Tianjin Port (Group) Co, the operator of northern China's busiest harbor, expects container traffic growth to cool to 12 percent this year because of the country's exports slowdown.

The port plans to handle 9.5 million 20-foot equivalent units this year, according to a statement on the harbor operator's Website. Container volume jumped 20 percent last year to 8.5 million boxes, Bloomberg News reported.

Traffic growth in Tianjin and Shanghai, China's busiest harbor, has slowed as recessions in the US and Europe damp demand for shipments of Chinese-made toys, furniture and clothes.

Tianjin Port's total cargo volume may rise 7.3 percent this year to 380 million tons.

Last year, the tally surged 15 percent to 354 million tons. Sales this year may total 13 billion yuan (US$1.9 billion), according to the statement.

(Shanghai Daily January 9, 2009)