Guangdong has developed 5 key ports including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and Zhanjiang, and other mid and small-sized ports as Foshan, Dongguan and Zhongshan. This port cluster is playing an important part in shipping industries in south and southeast China and has become one of the keys to promoting the regional economic cooperation.

Guangdong's coastline summed 3368 miles. About 998 rivers are opened to navigation with the total mileage 4213 miles. Until the end of 2002, Guangdong has 109 ports, including 35 seaports and 73 inner river ports. Nearly 3066 harborages, 179 thousand meters in length in total, are available for productions. In the first 10 months of 2003, the freight handling capacity volume hit 364.76 million tons, up 16.08% compared with last year, while container capacity volume reaches 14.09 million, with an increase of 37.25% on a year-to-year basis.

In the future Guangdong aims to accelerate the adjustment of the five key ports, speed up construction of crude oil port and stocking facilities as well as iron port in Zhanjiang, upgrade the facilities equipped in these ports in a bid to modernize the ports.

Guangzhou seaport

Guangzhou seaport now is the most important port in south China, with Nansha seaport, one of its sections, being built. It is reported that Guangzhou seaport will be built as a logistic center especially serving for the productions of Yunnan and Guizhou.

Zhanjiang seaport & 'Develop the West' strategy

The strategy 'Develop the West' fires up the take-off of west China, a relatively underdeveloped inland area. Zhanjiang locates next to Guangxi province and is the nearest coastal city to most West China area. As a result, a well-developed Zhanjiang seaport is the idea exporting port for the west China area.

Since China entered WTO, the freight handling capacity of seaports experienced a rapidly increase. With the start-up of Sino-ASEAN free trade zone processing, experts predict that seaports in southwest China will turn into the center of logistics, business, investment in free trade zone in the near future and Guangdong will face a new development opportunity.

Editor: Donald