Ningbo port lifts capacity amid rising cargo growth

Ningbo port will boost its container throughput capacity by about 4.5 million teu (20ft equivalent units) in the next five years as the Zhejiang city looks to cater for surging cargo growth from the province.

The Ningbo Port Authority has started building five berths - Phase IV of Beilun port - costing about six billion yuan (HK$5.62 billion), according to a spokesman.

Hong Kong-listed China Merchants International Holdings, which took 45 per cent of the $2.4 billion project in Daxie Island - the four berths of Beilun Phase V - has also started construction.

The firm's first two berths were expected to be operational in the middle of 2005, deputy general manager Timothy Shen Ka-yip said.

He said each berth could handle 500,000 boxes a year, meaning the nine berths would boost Ningbo's cargo-handling capacity by 4.5 million teu on completion.

Ningbo vice-mayor Wu Hemin said the capacity growth would be supported by strong cargo volume in the province.