China began trial operations of the world’s largest automated container shipping terminal — the Shanghai Yangshan Deep Water Port — over the weekend, according to official state media.
A massive infrastructure project, the automated container shipping terminal adds to Shanghai’s ranking as the world’s busiest container port.
“The automated terminal not only increases the port’s handling efficiency but also reduces carbon emissions by up to 10 percent,” Chen Wuyuan, president of Shanghai International Port Group, was quoted by the Xinhua News Agency.
Opened Sunday, the Yangshan port initially will handle 4 million 20-foot shipping containers and soon expand up to 6.3 million containers, with the eventual deployment of 26 bridge cranes and 120 rail-mounted gantry cranes.
Located at the south of Donghai Bridge, Phase Four of the Yangshan port covers 2.667 million square yards and has a 2,569-yard shoreline.
According to Xinhua, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. made all the equipment involved in the upgrade.
Of the world’s 10 largest container ports, nine are in Asia — Shanghai, Singapore, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Busan, Qingdao, Guangzhou Harbor and Tianjin. Only Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port is outside the region, according to global freight trackers.
Last month, China’s exports surged more than twice the predicted rate according to official data, leaving analysts to expect more strain in the Washington-Beijing economic relationship. In 2017, China’s trade surplus over the U.S. has ballooned 18.8 percent in overall yuan terms.
• Dan Boylan can be reached at dboylan@washingtontimes.com.
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