The Port of Hong Kong

Hong Kong is the busiest and most efficient international container port in the world which handled about 22.6 million TEUs of containers in 2005. The port is served by some 80 international shipping lines providing some 500 container liner services per week connecting to over 500 destinations worldwide.

The locations of the major cargo handling facilities, including container terminals, river trade terminal, mid-stream sites, public cargo working areas as well as supporting facilities, such as ship repair yards and typhoon shelters, are shown in the following plan:

In 2005, the Kwai Chung-Tsing Yi container terminals' throughput amounted to 14.3 million TEUs, representing 63% of the port's total container throughput. The remaining 37% was handled at mid-stream sites, River Trade Terminal, PCWAs, buoys and anchorages, and other wharves.

Container Terminals

Container terminals (CTs) are situated in Kwai Chung-Tsing Yi basin. There are nine terminals under the operation of five different operators, namely Modern Terminals Ltd (MTL), Hongkong International Terminals Ltd (HIT), COSCO-HIT, DP World and Asia Container Terminals Ltd (ACT). They occupy 285 hectares of land, providing 24 berths and 8,530 metres deep water frontage.

The water depth of the Kwai Chung-Tsing Yi basin is 15.5 metres. The total handling capacity of the container terminals is over 18 million TEUs per year.

Situated in the south of the Pearl River Delta in China¡¯s Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Port is adjacent to HK. The city¡¯s 260km coastline is divided by the Kowloon Peninsula into two halves, the eastern and the western. Shenzhen¡¯s western port area lies to the east of Lingdingyang in the Pearl River Estuary and possesses a deep water harbor with superb natural shelters. It is about 20 sea miles from hongkong to the south and 60 sea miles from Guangzhou to the north. By passing pearl river system, the western port area is connected with the cities and counties in pearl river delta networks; by passing On See dun waterway, it extends all ports both at home and abroad. The eastern port area lies north of Dapeng Bay where the harbor is wide and calm and is regarded as the best natural harbor in South China.

From 1979 to 2004, Shenzhen Port invested over 30 billion Yuan in the construction of port infrastructure facilities in nice port areas, including Shekou, Chiwan, Mawan, Yantian, Dongjiaotou, Fuyong, Xiadong, Shayuchong and Neihe. It has 140 berths, among which 51 are of 10,000dwt or above, 90 operational berths, among which 43 are of 10,000dwt or above,18 container berths, 9 consignee berths, among which 3 are of 10,000dwt or above, 18 passenger ferry berths, and 23 non-productional berths. The annual handling capacity is 83.764 million tons, including 6.2 million TEUs (including non-professional container capacity), 5.5 million passenger-times, and the 180,000 car-times. The total length of the port¡¯s coastline amounts to 22,149.7 meters.

In 2004, the cargo throughput reached at 135 million tons, increased by 20.33% over 2003, with 88.5 million tons of foreign trade, increased by 30.15% over the same period of last year; the container throughput was 13.66 million TEUs, increased by 28.22% over last year, of which 10.4 million TEUs were direct shipping, 76.1% of the total, 1 million TEUs were international transshipment, 7.35% of the total container throughput; the passengers throughput was 3.45 million person-times, increased by 40.23% over 2003.

By the end of 2004, 39 renowned ship owners both at home and abroad have launched 131 international container liner routes, an increase of 25 routes over 2003, of which 54 routes are to America (including 3 of South America), 21 to Europe, 5 to Australia, 13 to Mediterranean, 7 to Mid-East, 1 to Red Sea, 1 to Africa, 29 to Asia. There are 560 ships calling at Shenzhen Port monthly. Also, we opened 21 branch lighter routes from Shenzhen to Hongkong, 17 branch routes of foreign trade, and 16 routes of coastal domestic trade.

From January to March of 2005, the cargo throughput of Shenzhen Port was 34.83 million tons, increased by 13.85% over the same period of last year, of which the throughput of foreign trade was 23.28 million tons, increased by 21.6%, the throughput of container was 3.486 million TEUs, increased by 25.2%, the passenger throughput was 865,000 person-times, increased by 13.3%; there were 135 international container liners calling at the port, a growth of 4 over 2004. We prospect that the cargo throughput of Shenzhen Port will reach 150 million tons in 2005, of which the container throughput will be over 15 million TEUs.

In 1980s, to adjust for the need of the large scaled construction of infrastructure and the economy growth of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Port emphasized its development in the special berths and general terminals of general and bulk cargo, with a speedy increase in the cargo throughput. In 1990s, Shenzhen Port stepped into the top 10 domestic ports, and in 1992 it has been ranked the 8th for 11 continuous years. Beginning in the end of 1980s, the container terminals began its large-scaled development after 1993 with the inflow of foreign capital. For the sake of the fast development of extra-oriented economy of Shenzhen and Pearl River Delta, the foreign trade cargo increased dramatically. On the other hand, the container throughput of Shenzhen Port also stepped into the period of fast growth with the averaged increase rate of 40% in these 5 years. From 1997, the container throughput has been ranked the second among the domestic ports for 6 years. More important is that the net increase of the annual cargo throughput was 10 million tons and the container throughput was 1 million TEUs in the last 6 continuous years. In the year of 2003 and 2004, the container throughput of Shenzhen Port ranked the forth among the world container ports.

Shenzhen took the lead in importing the foreign capital to participate the development and operation of the port, with several ways including exclusive investment, joint venture and share holdings. So far, the large port enterprises are all sino-foreign joint ventures, including Yantian International, Merchants Port Service, Chiwan Port and Shipping, Haixin Port, Shekou Container, Chiwan Container Terminal. The experiences tell us that the joint development and operation of the terminals not only attract large funds but also inflow the advanced management, experiences and experts, leading the enterprises with the operation of international, certain scale and mordernization under the international norms, which is an important way for the quick growth of Shenzhen Port.

With the upgraded international effects, Shenzhen Port pushes forward to the development of the national economy and has become one of the key basic industries of Shenzhen. As the container hub port in South China confirmed by the state, Shenzhen Port serves Pearl River Delta areas, other regions of Guangdong Province and other provinces, making important contribution to their open policy and extra-oriented economy. Among the constitution of the container sources of Shenzhen Port, Shenzhen Port and Pearl River Delta areas account for 80%, other provinces account for 10% and the international transshipment account for 10%. For all the above reasons, Shenzhen Port plays an important role, not only for Shenzhen, but also for Guangdong Province, South China, Hongkong and international container transshipment.

Shenzhen Port will continue its fast development in container berths according to Shenzhen Masterplan, approved by Ministry of Communications and Guangdong Provincial Government in 1998. By 2010, Shenzhen Port will build 10 more special container berths and develop Dachan Bay special container port areas. At that time, the contribution made by Shenzhen Port to the economy of Shenzhen and South China will be more and more. With the fast growth of the Port, Shenzhen Port will become the real container hub port of South China; moreover, with the mutual complementarity and promotion between Shenzhen and Hongkong, the international shipping center in Asia will be formed.