Hundreds of containers are neatly stacked on a vessel in Qingdao Port. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Robust progress was made by major Chinese ports operator Shandong Port Group in the first month of 2021, with cargo and container throughput continuing to grow, according to SPG figures.

They revealed that the group handled 128 million tons of cargo in January, up 4.9 percent year-on-year, with the  container volumes amounting to 2.84 million TEUs -- or twenty-foot equivalent units, the standard container size –  for a year-on-year increase of 10.1 percent.

The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the initial year of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period. It is also being seen by the company as a crucial year for SPG to deepen reforms of its port integration and embark on a new journey of high-quality development across the board.

SPG's performance in January showcased the robust growth of its major freight categories -- including dry and bulk commodities, oil products and general bulk cargo -- which gave an overall boost to the group.

Four subsidiaries of SPG -- Qingdao Port, Rizhao Port, Yantai Port and Bohai Bay Port -- realized dual growth in cargo throughput and container throughput.

SPG has continued to expand its land and sea transportation systems, more often than not through innovative development. A strategic video conference recently took place between SPG and Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. – a Swiss-Italian group, which is the world's second-biggest shipping line in terms of container vessel capacity – with the two sharing insights on working together, to help the Chinese port operator build an international shipping hub in Northeast Asia.

Qingdao Port took the lead in January to open four container routes with regions in Southeast Asia and India. The advantages of Belt & Road Initiative maritime routes and cold chain logistics will be further improved and the maritime logistics corridor linking Qingdao with countries involved in the RCEP – the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a major free trade agreement between Asia-Pacific nations -- is expected to be used increasingly.

Meanwhile, Shandong Port Logistics Group in January opened two freight railway lines and built the Nanyang Inland Port in Henan province, stepping up efforts to strengthen its position in sea-rail intermodal transport. It transported 199,800 TEUs by combined sea-rail transport in January, up 16.1 percent year-on-year, helping to bolster domestic trading.

SPG says it has turned challenges into opportunities and expanded its cargo volumes amid the changing novel coronavirus epidemic situation.

Aiming to improve less than adequate railway transportation in some areas battered by the COVID-19 epidemic, Qingdao Port and Rizhao Port have lost no time in establishing cooperation with the railway department. As a result, several freight trains have been launched -- transporting iron ore from Huangdao to Hebei inland bonded port zone and from Ningxia and Rizhao to Wu'an -- which has introduced new volume growth.