Xiamen: The fast developing southeast China port, Xiamen, has vowed to strongly develop container and cruise business in the coming five years.
“We understand that Xiamen is not a big port, but we have our own advantages with RMB700m investment in the southeast shipping hub construction, plus the good location for cross-strait shipping business,” Cai Liangya, director of Xiamen port authority said. “We will greatly develop the container business and cruise home port sector in the coming five year,” Cai continued.
Soon, the provincial government of Xiamen will release supporting policies, and provide benefits for the high-end shipping talents, Cai said.
Xiamen port currently has 136 berths including 60 above 10,000dwt-class. The cargo throughput of Xiamen achieved 157m in 2011. The port expects more than 10% growth this year.
Fujian government, the province where Xiamen is, recently introduced a new guidance on the development of the ports in the province.
The guidance stated that in the next five years, port charges will be decreased by 10% for import and export cargo, and port charges will be exempted for cargoes from the central and western provinces. The guidance also offers various subsidies for investment in the smaller ports in the province.

The province has made a clear goal of reaching total port throughput of 550m tons by 2015 and it also proposed to establish Fujian Port Group in order to integrate all the port assets in the province. [20/09/12]
