Yangtze cargo movement volume hit record 1.8 billion tonnes in 2012

IN the past year, cargo movement on the mainstream of the Yangtze River topped 1.8 billion tonnes, setting a new record in the world's river cargo shipping sector for the sixth year in a row, said Xinhua, quoting a source from a recent Yangtze River shipping conference held in Chongqing.

As of the end of 2012, ports on the river have a total of 4,114 berths, 421 of them have capacity of 10,000 tonnes and above. The number of ports with throughput tonnage of more than 100 million tonnes has reached 10.

Last year, series of projects of building and upgrade of navigational channels, new vessel development and other supporting projects were launched on the Yangtze River. The Changjiang River Administration of Navigational Affairs invested CNY2.81 billion (US$451.83 million) on the river, the biggest sum ever.

Cargo vessels sailing on the Yangtze River mainstream are growing bigger in size. Their average deadweight tonnage has risen to 1,080 tonnes. Those in the Three Gorges Reservoir area even reached 1,800 tonnes. This has greatly increased the cargo shipping capacity on the river.