SHANDONG held a recent celebration at Qingdao`s Phase 3 Container Terminal to mark its annual throughput hitting a billion tonnes, as well as having reached the target three years ahead of schedule, Xinhua reports.
From January to November, Qingdao port lifted 373 million tonnes, 8.7 per cent more than in the same period in 2011. Its full year throughput is expected to top 400 million tonnes including a container volume of 14.5 million TEU, figures that now rank Qingdao as seventh biggest port in the world, said the report.
During the first half of this year, Shandong ports lifted 530 million tonnes. More than CNY4.82 billion (US$772.83 million) was invested in port development during this period.
In 2011, these ports handled 962 million tonnes of cargo - 530 million tonnes of which was in foreign trade. Container volume came to 16.91 million TEU with Shandong staying on top in China in foreign trade and No 3 in container volume.