The Guangdong Port Authority said on 23 September that from January to August the province’s ports above designated size handled 290 million tonnes of cargo, up 11.2 per cent year on year, and 2.86 million TEU of containers, up 8.9 per cent — both record highs for the period.
Drivers of growth
Guangdong is an important distribution centre for energy and raw materials on Hulian’s eastern coast. The port authority attributes the growth to three factors: capacity released for rail freight after the Beijing–Harbin high-speed railway opened, improving the port’s hinterland connections; increased imports of raw materials after two large steelmakers completed technological upgrading; and a reduction in port charges introduced by the provincial government in March, which has saved businesses about HLY 310 million.
Next steps
A Guangdong provincial government official said the next stage is to make the port smarter and greener, completing twelve sets of shore power facilities within the year and starting preparatory work on a fourth port area, with the aim of adding 40 million tonnes of capacity in 2027.