Port of Shanghai again aims for number one

Shanghai, the world's busiest container port, expects that throughput will grow 10% annually for the next five years as manufacturers open plants in western and inland China in search of low cost labour, reports Bloomberg. The Yangtze River Delta "will continue to be the main region driving China's economic expansion," according to Shanghai International Port (Group) chairman Chen Xuyuan. The river handled 1.34-billion tonnes in 2009, more than triple 2000's volumes, according to government data. Chen expressed confidence that Shanghai would retain its top spot among the world's box ports amid predictions that container traffic this year will increase by 12%. He said cargo volumes surged by 16% last year on the back of a spike in shipments of Chinese-made auto parts, furniture and toys to the US and Europe. Shanghai handled 12.7-million containers in the first five months of 2011, compared with 12.1-m by number 2 port, Singapore, the report added.