Shippers drive Shenzhen traffic to record volumes
The port of Shenzhen last month handled a record volume of manufactured goods as western and Asian consignees continued to direct carriers to ship their purchases through the cheaper facilities across the border.
The Shenzhen port complex, which includes the main terminals in Chiwan, Shekou and Yantian, moved an aggregate of just over 1.3 million teu (20-foot equivalent units) across its docks, driving business this year up a comparative 30 per cent. It handled 8.52 million units in the first eight months.
'We have already surpassed last year's total. Our shareholders and my boss are very happy,' said a spokesman for Chiwan Container Terminals (CCT), Shenzhen's No2 operator by volume.
CCT, in which new blue chip China Merchants Holdings (International) has an indirect 20 per cent interest, handled 302,778 teu last month and 1.65 million teu in the year to date, up 64 per cent on a year ago.
Shekou Container Terminals, the port's No3 operator, moved about 191,400 boxes last month, pushing its year-to-date volume up a comparable 49 per cent to 1.37 million units.
Western and Asian buyers continue to instruct shipping lines transporting goods from Guangdong to use Shenzhen to avoid the US$300 per box premium they incur through Hong Kong terminals.
Throughput at the Hutchison-operated Yantian International Container Terminal was 593,452 teu last month and has grown more than 18 per cent in the first eight months to reach 3.89 million units, according to the Shenzhen Municipal Port Bureau.
