At 6pm on December 17, the cargo throughput at Tianjin Port hit 250.2 million tons for the year. It has become the first port to handle more than 250 million tons in a year and has met its 2006 throughput goal 14 days ahead of schedule. It is estimated that the total throughput for the year will be 255 million tons, with 5,900 thousand standard containers passing through, 22.9 percent more than last year.

Tianjin Port has done much to support innovative enterprises, insisting on innovation and quality in science and technology. According to incomplete figures, 270 million yuan has been invested in science and technology innovation in Tianjin Port this year. This money has yielded results in over 620 areas, and reaped economic benefits to the value of 210 million yuan. Thirty-nine patents have been applied for and twenty have so far been approved. The port of Tianjin has already become the major container port of North China and a transfer base for iron ore, crude oil, coal and the illiquid chemical industry. It is one of the busiest coastal ports, with 60 ships berthing daily. Seven hundred thousand tons of cargo are loaded and unloaded there every day.

By People's Daily Online