The Yangtze River-Golden Waterway

YANG ZE RIVERGOLDEN WATERWAY A July 21 visit by President Xi Jinping - seen holding an umbrella and with his trousers rolled up during a downpour – to Wuhan New Port has firmly set the focus on plans to develop the Yangtze into a "golden water route". During the nation's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), according to preliminary estimates, more than 150 billion yuan will be spent to develop the Yangtze River water route, of which at least 36 billi will come from the state coffers, twice the amount of during the previous five-year period (2006-2010). Provinces and cities along the Yangtze River will also fund the building of the inland water transportation infrastructure. By 2020, the water routes will be modernized and provide for an efficient and eco-friendly transport system. THE 6,300-KM YANGTZE RIVER COMPRISES THREE SECTIONS. UPSTREAM PART IS ABOVE YICHANG OF HUBEI PROVINCE length: 4,504 km Drainage area: 1 million km2 MIDSTREAM SECTION THE REACH BETWEEN YICHANG AND HUKOU (of Jiangxi province) length: 955 km Drainage area: 680,000 km2 The total navigable route on the Yangtze River and its tributaries is 70000K- KM, DOWNSTREAM PART length: 938 km Drainage area: 120,000 km2 accounting for 70 percent of the length of the nation's total water route. TEUS (twenty-foot equivalent unit) WUHAN PORT NANJING PORT SHANGHAI PORT FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR: IN THE FIRST HALF IN THE FIRST HAL Shanghai International Port (Group) processed 6.77 percent more goods from a year earlier to 268 million tons in the first half, and handled 2.91 percent more containers, or 16.32 million TEUS. Cargo throughput 10.6 percent Constructed by 4 cities, Wuhan, Ezhou, Huanggang and Xianning. It aims to handle 100 million tons of cargo and 10 million TEU containers. Yangluo container port is the core port in the north of the Yangtze River and in the first half of this year, it handled 403,600 TEUS, with year-on-year growth of 8.93 percent. 403.600. J0.6% 268 year-on-year in the first half. TEUS Aims to reach cargo through- put of 300 million tons and container throughput of 4 million TEUS by 2015. By 2020, it plans to increase the two indices to 500 million million tons GROWTH IN PERCENT FOR YEAR-ON-YEAR The port mainly handles containers, coal, metal ore, petro and petroleum products, steel, construction material and mechanical equipment. tons and 10 million TEUS. NANJING SUZHOU SHANGHAI NINGBO CHONGQING WUHAN CHONGQING PORT NINGBO PORT In 2012, the turnover volume of freight transport was 174 billion ton-km, which increased 44.89 billion ton-km when compared with that in 2008. Cargo throughput was 125 million tons, up 46.08 million tons from 2008. VOLUME FOR 2012: SUZHOU PORT FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR: -Year-on-year growth of 8.4 percent. Container throughput was 8.27 million TEUS, with year-on-year growth of 6 174 Handled 228 million tons first half 228 percent. of this year, up 12.05 percent year-on-year. Its three divisions - Taicang, Changshu and Zhangjiagang Port area - boasted double-digit growth. Ningbo Port mainly handles iron ore imports, container trade, storage and transition of bulk cargo such as crude and refined oil, liquid chemicals and coal. billion tons million tons By 2015, Chongqing hub port in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River will be in accordance with "one network, eight ports, three systems". The eight ports are: Guoyuan port in the main city, Cuntan port, East port, Xintian port in Wanzhou, Longtoushan port in Peiling, Zhutuo port in Yongchuan, Rentuo port in Jiangjin and Xinsheng port in Zhongxian. Suzhou Port is the world's largest inland port by cargo and container throughput. Suzhou Port was formed in 2002 with three national first-class open ports, Zhangjiagang, Changshu and Taicang Port area, under its jurisdiction. FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR: 242 million tons Source: China Daily GUILLERMO MUNRO / CHINA DAILY