Dandong Port in the city of Dandong has witnessed booming growth recently.

At present, the port has established shipping routes for general and bulk cargo, and containers and passengers for at least 70 ports in more than 30 countries and regions.

In January, cargo throughput in the port reached 1.14 million tons and container throughput hit 10,017 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), increasing 10.9 and 51.1 per cent respectively year-on-year.

The brisk development is attributed to concerted efforts of the Dandong Port Group Co in recent years.

The company was restructured in 2005, attracting capital from multi-funding channels from home and abroad.

Within just one year, the newly restructured company channelled 630 million yuan (US$78.75 million) of investment in building and improving port infrastructure facilities.

This year, the company plans to invest 1.26 billion yuan (US$157.5 million) in building two main port areas and eight large specialized berths.

According to the port's blueprint, total investment in port renovation and expansion will reach 8.6 billion yuan (US$1.08 billion) during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-10).

To ensure sustainable development, the company's management have invited experts from the Ministry of Communications and a number of professional institutes to contribute ideas for the port's long-term development.

The authorities will focus on comprehensive development of the port, paying attention to both the bulk and general cargo business and the passenger transporting business.

Their goal is to build Dandong Port into an international port with an annual throughput of more than 50 million tons of cargo, one million TEUs and 200,000 passengers by 2010.

As the municipal government of Dandong, where the port is situated, spares no efforts to develop coastal industries as the city's key development strategy, the port's construction has become a pivotal part of local economic growth.

An export-oriented processing zone and a bonded warehouse zone near Dandong Port are under construction. Three major logistics parks are listed in the city's plans.

Furthermore, a coastal highway, a key project funded by Liaoning provincial government, began being built early this year.

The 1,443.3-kilometre-long highway, scheduled to be completed in five years, will link six coastal cities in the province Dandong, Dalian, Yingkou, Panjin and Huludao, and is expected to further spur the coastal industries.

As the port improves its infrastructure facilities and expands its operations, a growing number of overseas investment projects have begun to settle in Dandong.

For instance, Japan-based Itochu Corporation plans to invest US$150 million in a timber project, aiming to build it into a large logistics base for wood with an annual throughput of 6 million cubic metres.

(China Daily 06/30/2006 page3)