Chinese ports accounts for a quarter of all container traffic

During 2008 container throughout globally increased by 4% to reach 506m teu. Of this Chinese mainland ports handled 22.6% and with the addition of the Port of Hong Kong, the figure exceeds the 25% mark.

UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2009 acknowledges that the global economic downturn has slowed world seaborne trade and says that an increase in the number of ships has resulted in freight rates remaining depressed.

At the start of 2009 there were 4,638 container ships available for service, with a total capacity of 12.14m teu, an increase of 8.5% in the number of ships or 12.9% in teu capacity.