Shanggang Port, an inland river port located in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/hz66.com]

Shanggang Port, an inland river port located in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, has experienced a significant surge in activity this year. The port has handled 200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units so far, a remarkable 182 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Wu Xiaowei, assistant manager of operations at Huzhou Shanggang International Port Services Co, a subsidiary of Huzhou Transport Group, announced the figures during a press briefing. Wu highlighted the port's progress, stating that it has surpassed last year's solid foundation of 110,000 TEUs and achieved an average monthly inland container throughput of 18,000 TEUs. Wu also mentioned the high demand for containers this month, with around 800 containers being imported and exported daily.

The deepening cooperation within the Yangtze River Delta has played a crucial role in the success of Huzhou's Shanggang Port. Acting as an extension of the Shanghai Port to surrounding cities, Shanggang Port has received significant support from Shanghai Port in replacing road transport with water transport for Huzhou's foreign trade enterprises.

Zhao Hongwei, general manager of Huzhou Shanggang International Port Services Co, explained that Shanggang Port now has a service area of approximately 100 kilometers, benefiting nearly 600 companies. This expansion has resulted in a noteworthy 30 to 50 percent reduction in logistics costs for Huzhou's import and export enterprises.

Official statistics reveal that Huzhou, situated along a waterway spanning 1,173.7 km, plays a pivotal role in handling approximately 40 percent of Zhejiang's inland waterway cargo transportation volume and turnover.