Port of Tianjin box volume up 21 pc in first eight months

The cumulative container throughput of northern China's largest sea port of Tianjin in the first eight months rose 20.6 per cent over the same period a year ago to 4.6 million TEU.

Meanwhile, the port's volume rose 22.6 per cent to 213 million tons, Xinhua reported.

By the end of this year, the port's annual cargo volume is estimated to reach 7 million TEU or 300 million tons.

The city of Tianjin plans to invest a total of CNY45 billion (US$6 billion) on port expansion projects during the period from 2006 to 2010. By the end of this period, the port will have more than eighty 10,000-tonne berths.

The Port of Tianjin is serving more than 100 shipping lines which have services to 400 ports in over 180 countries and regions. The port is also co-operating with over 10 inland cities in China on one-stop customs clearance service in a bid to secure more cargo.