Guangzhou's ambitious port development project in Nansha will not be a burden on the region, already home to three large ports, according to mayor Lin Shusen.
'Not all products manufactured in Guangzhou can be exported through Hong Kong,' he said yesterday. 'As the hub of South China, Guangzhou needs its own port.'
Mr Lin was speaking at a press conference about the city's development plans for Nansha, the linchpin of which is a deep-water port project on Longxue Island.
Longxue has Guangzhou's only deep-water coastline and is situated at a point where the Pearl River widens dramatically, making it easier for ships to manoeuvre.
The island has more than 30 kilometres of coastline and can accommodate vessels of 30,000 to 50,0000 tonnes.
Guangzhou's existing port at Huangpu, where the Port of Singapore Authority recently launched a joint venture to manage three berths, is a river port prone to silting.