Guangzhou Port has risen to the world's fifth largest port from twelfth in terms of cargo volume handled last year.

The south China port saw 300 million tons of goods and 6.6 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) pass through its docks, says Thursday's China Securities Journal.

Guangzhou is China's third-largest cargo port, ranking after the ports of Shanghai and Shenzhen.  

Guangzhou Port's cargo volume received a shot-in-the-arm in September 2004 when Nansha Port, its deep-water offshoot dealing primarily with international shipping, came into full operation.  

Nansha, with its actual 10-berth capacity, handled 2.41 million TEUs in 2006. However, this annual capacity is set to top 10 million TEUs by 2010, announced Xian Weixiong, director of Guangzhou Communications Commission.

Guangzhou has earmarked 27.3 billion yuan (about US$3.55 billion) for port construction investment during the 2006-2010 period, with 90 percent of the investment to be put towards building 46 more berths at Nansha, said Xian.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2007)