China has become one port power, with 34 major ports and more than 2000 minor ports. By the end of 2016, there have been 2317 minor ports in China, which was 1.3 times of five years ago. According to Lloyd’s List, there are 7 ports in China of Top10 World Container Ports, Shanghai Port has ranked 1st for seven years. Over the past year, 37.13 million containers have arrived and left, 7 million more than Singapore port, the second-largest port in world. By the end of 2017, cargo throughput will account for one tenth of that in world. International container liner routes here connect more than 600 ports from 200 countries and region, to achieve 30% of trade volumn in China.

Half of them happened in Yangshan Port, main part of Shanghai Port, ranks as the largest cargo port in the world, a 20-kilometer key with 50 berths. Around 45,000 shipping containers arrive or leave Yangshan Port each day. There are more than 1,800 berths capable of accommodating 10,000 plus-ton ships along China’s east coastline.

Now the throughput in Yangshan Port has been more than 108 million TEUs in 10 years since 2005 it was put into operation, with the average annual growth rate of 21.5%. The transfer throughput totaled about 51 million TEUs, with the annual compound growth rate of 21% and the international transit throughput totaled about 10 million TEUs, with the annual compound growth rate of 27%.

But the construction was a huge challenge. It was built on the offshore islands of Yangshan, which had been amalgamated by land reclamation. The workers had to create one land which is 6 km long, 1-1.5 km wide and the area is 8 square kilometers in the sea, with the average water depth of more than 20 meters and speed of 2 m/s. If the sand is piled to the height of seven floors in the area of1000 football fields, it would be more than 100 million cubic meters.

Besides, it had to be connected to the mainland via the Donghai Bridge, 32.5km long , of which 25 km in the sea. The bridge width is 31.5 meters and can resist 12 typhoon, 7magnitude earthquake. The bridge cost10.5 billion Yuan, used steel of 500,000 tons and concrete of1.5 million cubic meters of concrete.

Tens of thousands of builders spent six years in the project! Now Yangshan Port has been an important hub for the world shipping network, “Yangshan speed” is attracting the attention globally.

International Port Association President ever visited Yangshan Port three times and commented that it was very rare to build such kind of modern mega port in one place so far from the land.

“The 4th Project of Yangshan deep-water Port ” will be in operation this Dec,which will be the world’s largest and the most advanced automation container terminal. With The Belt and Road Initiative raised, there will be further growth in the port industry. Shanghai goverment plans to build one information platform, one shipping company service platform and one port cooperation platform for the 50 ports from 36 countries along Silk Road. Experts predict that China’s port cargo throughput will exceed 25 billion tons and the container throughput will reach 500 million TEUs by 2030.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1071954.shtml