Zhejiang's port container capacity expected to top 18 million TEU by 2015

BY 2015, collective capacity of ports in eastern Zhejiang province is estimated to reach 18 million TEU and one billion tonnes in overall cargo, Xinhua reports.

By the end of 2015, the province will have 239 deep water berths of 10,000 tonnes' capacity or more, with an expanded shipping network of different kinds of cargo including container, coal, petroleum, iron ore and grain.

Last year, throughput of ports in the province increased 9.8 per cent year on year to 867 million tonnes. Ningbo-Zhoushan port lifted 694 million tonnes, making it the largest port in the world in terms tonnage. As for containers, the port handled 14.72 million tonnes.

Hangzhou Customs' statistics show that from January to August, Zhejiang's trade value increased 0.8 per cent year on year to US$20.42 billion, ranking at the fifth in China. Export grew 2.5 per cent to $14.56 billion, ranking it third. Besides textiles, garments, shoes and hi-tech products, exports of household appliances, furniture and lighting products are also increasing.