Shanghai container port world's No 2 in first quarter: report
Posted: 17 May 2007 1245 hrs

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SHANGHAI - China's Shanghai overtook Hong Kong to become the world's second largest container port in the first quarter as containers handled rose 28.1 percent on year during the period, state media said Thursday.

In the first three months of the year, Shanghai Port processed 5.9 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units), the China Daily reported, citing figures from the Shanghai Port Administration Bureau.

During the same period, Hong Kong handled about 5.5 million TEUs, up 2.3 percent from a year earlier, while Singapore remained the world's largest port, with TEUs handled rose 14 percent to 6.6 million, the report said.

The quarter marks the first time that Shanghai Port has exceeded Hong Kong in terms of container throughput, the paper added.

Shanghai Port has been the third biggest container port worldwide after Singapore and Hong Kong since the end of 2003. Its container throughput capacity has kept a growth rate of over 20 percent in the past three years.

Last year, Shanghai Port reached a record throughput capacity of 20 million TEUs, comparing to approximately 18.1 million TEUs in 2005.

Statistics show that the Shenzhen Port reached a throughput capacity of 4.5 million TEUs in the first quarter, making it the fourth largest in the world, following Hong Kong. - AFP/ir