China's port throughput has continued to increase, ranking the first in the world in 2004, according to the Ministry of Communications.

Ministry statistics show China's port throughput has increased 21.3 percent to four billion tons in 2004, 61.5 million TEU (twenty foot equivalent units) of which being container throughput, an increase of 26.4 percent.

The throughput of Shanghai Port has passed 347 million tons and is expected to exceed 380 million tons at the end of this year. It is estimated that Shanghai Port will process more goods than Netherlands' Rotterdam, the port with largest throughput in the world last year.

In 2004, China has stepped up the infrastructure construction of ports, with an investment increase of 33 percent in coastal and freshwater areas, adding 67 new berths and expanding the throughput capacity by 120 million tons.

Experts say the overall throughout of ports in China is still inadequate, saying freight and container throughput for ports will grow 500 million tons and 13 million TEU respectively to 4.6 billion tons and 75 million TEU in 2005.

The ministry claimed that in 2005 it would further step up port construction to meet increasing demands.

Four days ago, the State Council approved in principle the Blueprint on the Construction of Ports in the Deltas of the Yangtze River and the Pearl River and the Bay of Bohai Sea. The ministry will carry out this blueprint next year to build more professional and large docks, especially for coal, oil, iron ore and containers.

Source: Xinhua