Major ports post positive 2020 results, reflecting rapid export expansion

Major Chinese ports had reported positive results in 2020, reflecting a rapid revival in the nation's economic activities that was driven by the recovery of manufacturing and domestic demand.

Container throughput at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in East China's Zhejiang Province expanded 3.7 percent in 2020, with more than 30 million standard containers handled, the port announced on Thursday.

Shangha International Port (Group) Co's container throughput hit a new peak of 43.5 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), leading the world for the 11th consecutive year, its official website showed.

The cargo throughput of Beibu Gulf Port in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 2020 was up 14.84 percent year-on-year, and container throughput stood at 5.38 million TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 29.5 percent, data from the company showed on Thursday.

Container throughput at China's major ports showed further upward momentum in the middle of December, industry data showed.

From December 11 to 20, container throughput at eight key ports increased 9.8 percent year-on-year, with growth rates at the Shanghai, Ningbo and Shenzhen ports exceeding 10 percent, according to the China Ports and Harbors Association.

The boom in container throughput for foreign trade came amid the rapid expansion in exports. Data from the General Administration of Customs showed that exports jumped 21.1 percent year-on-year in November in US dollar terms, the fastest growth since February 2018.

Industrial output revived, with industrial profits rising 15.5 percent year-on-year in November, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed in December.