All leading mainland container ports will be linked by electronic data interchange (EDI) within a year, according to Cosco (Hong Kong) Shipping Co managing director Du Baoming, quoting sources from the Ministry of Communications.
Speaking at the Asia Ports '98 conference, Mr Du said authorities had set up a trial EDI network.
No details were available, but a shipper said the trial network was at Shanghai port.
The EDI link will mean all mainland ports will be able to work closely with shipping lines, provide faster cargo customs clearance, eliminate much paperwork and improve communications.
Mr Du said cargo handling systems at ports such as Dalian, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qinghuangdao and Tianjin had become more sophisticated and were of international standard.
'There are 65 special container berths, 134 container bridges and 304 gantry cranes installed at major ports,' he said.
Since the early 1990s, the port administration had undergone significant streamlining, including a new port management committee, standardisation of fees collection, simplified inspection procedures and raising of professionalism of port administration staff.
