Shanghai 4th in world ports

Shanghai ranks the fourth among international shipping centers, following Singapore, Hong Kong and London, according to the latest Xinhua-Baltic Exchange International Shipping Center Development Index on Thursday.

Singapore took top spot with three outstanding factors — port facilities, maritime services and overall environment. Dubai, Rotterdam and Hamburg are also in the top 10 list.

Shipping development in Shanghai and Dubai, two important cities in emerging economies, has increased greatly thanks to their rapidly developing modern maritime collection and distribution system, continuous rising shipping service ability, the driving power of free trade zones, and improved business environment, the index noted.

A total of 43 international port cities were evaluated.

Shipping centers in Asia are full of vitality in development, and their competitiveness is continuously growing, said Cao Zhanzhong, a chief economics analyst at the China Economic Information Service.

Shanghai remains the world's busiest container port, with a guaranteed capacity of 100 million people and 5.2 million tons, and 110 air carriers had flights to Shanghai, with the airline network covering 297 cities around the world, the city government said last year.

The city is creating a sea and air hub featuring highly concentrated shipping resources, complete shipping service functions, a good shipping market environment and efficient logistics, according to a three-year plan on the city's international shipping center construction by 2020.

Lifting the transit function of international air cargo and promoting operations of express delivery, cold chain logistics and cross-border e-commerce are on the agenda. 

The 4th phase of the Yangshan Deep-Water Port was completed in December 2018, with a berthing capacity of 150,000 tons. The highest throughput of the port reaches 14,451 TEU (20ft equivalent unit) daily, and its yearly throughput is expected to surpass 2 million TEU.

London and Singapore lead in shipping services, said Cao. London is strong in shipping finance and law, while Singapore has advantages in shipping broker and ship management, he said.

China's coastal cities had an overall good performance, with Zhoushan, Guangzhou, Qingdao and Dalian ranking 13, 16, 17 and 20, respectively.

The index was launched by China Economic Information Service, a subsidiary of Xinhua news agency, China Financial Information Center and the Baltic Exchange.