Shanghai port will become the world's fifth-largest container port in 2020, with a handling capacity of 12-14 million teu (20 ft equivalent units), an academic says.
Sun Guangqi, of Dalian Maritime University, said the port was among the top 20 container ports in 1995 when its handling capacity rose to 1.52 million teu, and jumped to 17th place last year when its capacity increased further to 1.97 million teu.
'Shanghai port's ranking will rise because of the recent formation of the Shanghai International Shipping Centre, which was expected to boost the port's handling capacity to five million teu by 2000, and to 12-14 million teu by 2020,' he said.
In his paper Changes of the World Shipping Centre, presented at the Asia Pacific Sea Transport Conference, Mr Sun said other ports in Asia also were embarking on ambitious construction plans.
'For example, Hong Kong port as the No 1 container port in the world already had made an ambitious development plan, and would have a handling capacity of 32 million teu in 2011,' he said.
Singapore, in second place, was building a big terminal to increase its capacity to 22.3 million teu, while Kaohsiung, had plans to build two container handling centres to increase capacity by 2.5 million teu in 2006. Last year, Kaohsiung handled 5.06 million teu, making it the third-largest container port in the world.
South Korea's Pusan also was investing in terminals to increase its capacity to 14 million teu by 2011.