After its quay cranes stood idle for most of the past seven months, Da Chan Bay Terminal One, the latest port facility to come on stream in Shenzhen, finally started its first export operations yesterday with a Japanese shipping line.
Da Chan Bay Terminal One, in which Modern Terminals holds 65 per cent, completed the first two of five berths in December.
However, a mainland customs facility was not in place until the end of May, resulting in a major obstacle to attracting shipping lines to call at the port.
'The first five months were very frustrating,' said port chief executive Andrew Miliken. The terminal could handle only empty containers as customs was not available at the port for laden box clearance. After the implementation of customs facilities on-site, Mr Miliken said it could speed up negotiations with potential shippers.
Yesterday, Mitsui OSK Lines agreed to launch a weekly Africa service at the port, deploying seven vessels of an average capacity of 1,600 20-foot equivalent units (teu). In January, Da Chan received its maiden call from a Chile-based shipping company, which stopped at Da Chan in its eastbound service (import service).
Two new berths at Yantian Port, phase three, came on stream in September and October and also have not garnered much business this year. A downturn in shipments to the United States and the slowdown in international trade resulted in negative growth for Yantian Port and halved growth in Shenzhen to 7 per cent in the first half.
But Mr Miliken said he was confident about long-term growth at Shenzhen. 'In every two years, you need a Da Chan [Terminal One] but it takes more than two years to build [a facility like Da Chan],' he said. 'Capacity is not an issue here.' Shenzhen handled 21 million teu last year.