China: Shanghai Introduces Ambitious Port Development Plan

Shanghai City authorities have mapped out the future 30 years development of the world’s largest port, and with an eye on limited draft availability in the vicinity, the area of Hengshaqiantan has been earmarked for extensive dredging.

The area, which is to the east of the city centre, will house berths capable of handling VLOCs and VLCCs and even ULCCs up to 500,000 dwt. Hengshaqiantan is a series of tidal flats in the East China Sea just to the east of Baoshan. Authorities reckon the new port area could double the capacity of Shanghai port. Authorities report that many berths in Shanghai are already operating beyond their design capability.

“While this looks a tough engineering ask, given its exposed position out to sea, you can never doubt Shanghai’s willpower to get infrastructure projects done,” one ports consultant stated.

It was seven years ago that Shanghai opened up its ambitious Yangshan deepwater port, situated some 32km southwest from the city centre, to relieve the pressure from the more cramped berths at Waigaoqiao. Now Hengshaqiantan will mark the future development of the city’s port ambitions.

[mappress]

Source: sinoshipnews, November 13, 2012