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SCMP Reporter

HONG KONG'S slow port development could hinder shipping activities in the Pearl River delta, a Hong Kong Shippers Council report says.

  The report said Hong Kong's cargo throughput had maintained an annual increase of 16 per cent since 1990 and container transport demand was also increasing by 10 per cent a year.

  'However, the port development cannot cope with the growing business between Hong Kong and the Pearl River delta,' it said.

  The council's executive director Clement Yeung said an English version of the report would be made available to the public by April.

  The report said that at least 20 berths should be built yearly in the Pearl River delta to meet demand.

  It said there was an imbalance in port development between Hong Kong and Guangdong, with delays to major territory projects, such as Container Terminal 9, while development was flourishing in Guangdong.

  There, the government had decided to promote the upgrading of existing ports, especially those along the coast and in the Pearl River delta, Xinhua (the New China News Agency) said.

  The government would not build new ports and would close some smaller, up-river ports because of inefficiency, it said.

  The shippers council report said Guangzhou port's throughput would reach 80 to 90 million tonnes and Shenzhen port, including Yantian, Chiwan, Mawan and Zhuhai, would reach 50 million tonnes in 2000.

  Cargo throughput in the Pearl River delta had the potential to reach 600 million tonnes, but there were insufficient fast ships and port facilities to support demand, the report said.

  In Hong Kong, the intensity of container traffic was seven times that of New York, the report said. Limited space was hampering further development.

  The problem of traffic congestion was worsening and there were insufficient parking spaces, with roads leading to the port jam-packed with container trucks, the report said.

  In contrast, Guangdong province plans to shore up its port development under the Ninth Five-Year Plan.

  Transport authorities plan 39 new wharfs in the Pearl River delta region, with 154 berths. Officials expect Guangdong's cargo throughput to jump by 180 per cent to 420 million tonnes by 2000.

  Throughput of the coastal ports in Guangdong was more than 100 million tonnes in 1993, and the region plans to build 600 more berths over the next 20 years to increase throughput to 560 million tonnes.

  Port development has been planned for central, west and east Guangdong.

  The focus of the Pearl River delta region will be central Guangdong, including Guangzhou port, Shenzhen port, Huizhou and Zhuhai.

  The Hong Kong Port Development Board has estimated that the volume of cargo handled in the river will increase from 23 million tonnes in 1993 to 49.2 million tonnes in 2000 and 84.8 million tonnes in 2011.

  These developments will affect business in Hong Kong if there is still no improvement in the territory's port facilities.

  The Hong Kong Government has already decided to start construction of a river trade terminal in Tuen Mun, which will avoid over-use of the Ma Wan Channel.

  It is expected more facilities will be improved to deal with the fast-growing demand in the coming years.



Facilities lag rapid growth in Guangdong