User:Oliverperkins/Chinese shipping

Intro
China's shipping industry and container transportation has reached international standards both in handling efficiency and building networks.

The governmental responsibility of the shipping industry is under the Ministry of Communications.

The number of container units handled by mainland Chinese ports in November 2007 reached 100 million, highlighting the country's position as a major player in the industry worldwide. For every two containers traveling along shipping lines in the Pacific Ocean, one is from China. The country also manufactures 90% of the world's containers.

The throughput of cargo and containers at China's ports has been the largest in the world for the past five years, with an annual growth rate of 35%.

History
The first overseas container reached China in September 1973 at Tianjin Port, which later set up the country's first container berth in 1980.

The 1990s saw rapid growth in the container transportation industry, and in 2002 China overtook the United States to become the world's top handler of containers.

In 2006, the country handled 5.6 billion tons of cargo and 93 million TEUs (20-foot container equivalent units). Twelve ports recorded cargo throughput of more than 100 million tons, with the Port of Shanghai handling 530 million tons, making it the world's busiest port.

Water transportation accounts for more than 90 percent of foreign trade cargo delivery, including 95 percent of imported crude oil and 99 percent of imported iron ore.

Containers have further connected China's middle and western regions to the global market, under a ports distribution strategy combining coastal areas and inner rivers.

Ports

 * Ports of China

Companies

 * COSCO (China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company)
 * China Shipping Container Lines