The opening ceremony of CSX World Terminals Yantai Co Ltd took place yesterday in this coastal city, which is aiming to complete an annual container handling capacity of 1 million TEUs (20-feet equivalent units) by 2007.

The 50-50 joint venture, with a total investment of US$99.16 million, has been set up by CSX World Terminals (CSXWT) and Yantai Port Authority.

"The project will give a great impetus to container handling in Yantai,'' said Yantai City Party Secretary Yan Rongzhu. "Yantai's prosperity is very reliant on its port development. Yantai Port, which is linked with more than 100 ports in more than 70 countries and regions, offers the city an advantage in terms of attracting foreign trade.''

Container volume handled at Yantai Port in 2002 totalled 160,000 TEUs, with the figure expected to top 260,000 TEUs for 2003.

The project is also part of the Phase III Container Terminal at Yantai Port. CSXWT provides the terminal facility with operations management, global sales and marketing and industry expertise.

"The terminal facility is located in one of the fastest growing container markets in Asia. Shandong Province is close to Japan and South Korea, a location that is ideal for an export-orientated economy,'' said Richard Chang, executive director of CSX World Terminal Yantai.

CSXWT is a global provider of container terminal solutions, currently operating 17 terminals and other related business globally. In China, CSX has established joint ventures in Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xiamen and plans to do so in Qingdao.

"Tianjin, Yantai and Qingdao are the major ports around the Bohai Bay economic rim. The chain ports will make a quicker development as the operation costs are growing in some major ports in southern China. And also the Northeast Asia Economy Area, where the three ports are located, is expected to become the most prosperous part of Asia,'' Chang said.

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