Shanghai is trying to be listed among the world's top three ports next year with an additional handling capacity of 220 standard containers to be put into operation, according to local sources.

Shanghai Port is expected to expand its annual handling capacity to 18 million containers this year and further to 21 million containers next year, said sources with the municipal deep-water port construction headquarters.

Shanghai has launched massive port construction projects in a bid to become one of the world's shipping hubs.

The first-phase project of Yangshan Port, with handling capacity of 2.2 million containers, is scheduled for trial operation this October. It will finally develop an actual handling capacity of 3 million containers.

Yangshan Port, which was put under construction in June 2002, will help broaden deep-water channels in Shanghai Port to meet the increasing demand for handling huge container vessels from worldwide.

When the fourth-phase construction is completed in 2010, Yangshan Port will have an annual handling capacity of more than 10 million containers.

(China Daily September 9, 2005)