China International Freight Industry - optimistic for the future

Shipping companies and international freight industry in China still have the effects of global economic depression as they face the beginning of 2010. Massive decline in demand for imported products from China economies of Western Europe and the U.S. have had a ripple effect throughout the shipping industry in China.

China's Ministry of Transportation has estimated that the throughput of containers at ports in China fell by 7% in 2009. In the first 9 months of 2009, China has managed its doors just over 77 TEU, down 9% over the same period last year. The impact has been uneven, with some suffering worse than other ports. Year on year volumes in Shanghai, the largest container port in China, fell 15% in the first nine months of the year and the second largest port, Shenzhen has seen an even steeper drop than 20%. This is because almost half of the shipping boxes of goods handled at Shenzhen in China imports are bound for Europe and international freight traffic has been particularly hard hit by the global economic slowdown. Meanwhile, some of the coastal ports such as Qingdao and Dalian suffered smaller declines in container traffic, and some, such as Ningbo, Tianjin and Yingkou has seen positive growth.

However, entering the new year for 2010, the freight transportation industry in China is optimistic about the prospects for the future. Spokesman for the shipping and transport companies operating in the shipping industry in China forecast a growth in 2010. This view is supported by a recent report on trends in international freight transport by Deutsche Bank, which says that the throughput in China is expected to recover strongly in 2010.

The securities firm raised its forecast for China for 2010 export growth to 10% of China's import demand in Europe and returned to the United States.

This optimistic forecast is reflected in the ongoing development activities in relation to Chinese imports. For example, a sixth container terminal is under construction in Port Waigaqiao and should become operational in 2010 with an annual capacity of over 2 million TEUs and 730,000 vehicles.

This will help to consolidate the strong infrastructure of transport of goods to China and to strengthen the country's position as a trading resumed following the global economic recovery and continued growth of Chinese imports inevitable as there is more disposable income and available credit in Western economies.

The probable economic development of Eastern European countries are also likely to provide an additional market for imports from China as the improved relations between China and Taiwan.

One of the pointers optimistic for the future development of infrastructure shipments in China is increasing the amount of consolidation smaller ports tie up with large doors. For example, Ningbo and Zhoushan ports were merged and this has pushed Shanghai to take stakes in Chongqing, Wuhan and other ports on the upper reaches of the Yangtse. Meanwhile, in northern China. Qingdao and Dalian are joining forces with neighboring smaller ports. The objective of the consolidation is to tap the advantages of the group.

In this way, the main actors of the infrastructure for freight transport services in China are laying the groundwork for a bright future and the various shipping companies and shipping companies that use the ports you will benefit .......