Qingdao port, the second largest trading port in China, witnessed a throughput of 100 million tons as of the end of April, up 15 percent year on year, while comprehensive energy consumption per unit was down 4 percent year on year, according to today’s Xinhua News Agency. Chang Dechuan, president of Qingdao Port, said the port is striving for its target of 300 million tons in 2008.

According to the 11th Five-Year Program (2006-10) for Qingdao port, it will further develop at Jiaozhou Bay, Qianwan Port, Aoshan Bay and Dongjiakou.

It is striving to become a state-of-the-art, global port by 2010, when throughput is projected to hit 320 million tons, including 12 million twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo.

Qingdao Port plans to become the shipping hub of northeast Asia as it transforms itself into a hi-tech, third-generation facility.

(Chinadaily.com.cn May 8, 2008)