China to Build Large Container Port in SWChina to turn Fangcheng Port on northern bank of the Beibu Gulf into the largest container port in southwest China to cope with the soaring container transportation industry.The port, an outlet to southeast Asia and countries in other parts of the world, is one of the 19 major marine hubs of China, and it has 23 berths and 12 deep-water berths for ships with more than 100,000 DWC each. Its ships call at 184 ports in 68 countries and regions. With an annual handling capacity of 8.5 million tons, the port handled 7,000 TEUs in the first quarter of this year, more than the total of 5,000 TEUs for last year, and it expects to top 20, 000 TEUs this year. Fangcheng is a major port city of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Province) in southwest China, and the region's annual TEUs potential may reach 100,000 and that of SW China may reach 200,000 TEUs. Huang Guanquan, deputy director of the Port Authority, said that the port city is seeking domestic and international cooperation to develop container transportation by linking port superiority with marine, highway and railway accesses. The Port Authority has reached a letter of intent with the world's 3rd largest marine shipping company, the Australia-based PNO Co., to jointly manage container ports and explore new shipping routes, he added. |
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