Shantou Port | Generated by AI
While it’s challenging to give a single definitive “size” for a port that encompasses all aspects (like total land area, water area, or all its facilities), we can understand the current scale of Shantou Port through various indicators:
Key Aspects Indicating the Size and Capacity of Shantou Port:
- Port Areas: Shantou Port is a multi-site port comprising eight main port areas:
- The Old Port Area (老港区)
- Zhuchi Port Area (珠池港区): This is the main port area as of 2013, handling containers.
- Mashan Port Area (马山港区)
- Guang’ao Port Area (广澳港区): Undergoing expansion, including the construction of large container berths.
- Haimen Port Area (海门港区)
- Nan’ao Port Area (南澳港区): Located on Nan’ao Island.
- Rongjiang Port Area (榕江港区)
- Tianxin Port Area (天心港区): Under planning. This distributed nature across several areas indicates a significant overall footprint.
- Berths: As of various reports:
- The port has a total of 86 berths (as of 2012).
- There are 38 berths above 5,000 tons, including 16 berths above 10,000 tons.
- Another source mentions 28 operational berths with a capacity of 14.17 million tons, including 11 deep-water berths over 10,000 tons.
- The Guang’ao Port area is constructing two 100,000-ton container berths.
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Coastline Length: The total coastline length of Shantou Port is reported as 3,746 meters. The phase II of Guang’ao port construction adds another 1,016 meters.
- Throughput Capacity:
- The designed overall throughput capacity is around 11.565 million tons. This figure might not reflect the current actual throughput.
- In 2012, the port achieved a throughput of 45.6 million tons of cargo and 1.25 million TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of containers.
- In 2018, container throughput was 875,000 TEU, and bulk cargo throughput was 9.23 million tons.
- More recent data from November 2024 indicates a container throughput of 1,610,000 TEU for the year to date. This suggests significant growth in container handling.
- Global Ranking: While rankings can fluctuate, Shantou Port was listed as #171 globally in a recent ranking. Within China, it was ranked #14.
In summary, Shantou Port is a substantial port with multiple operational areas, a significant number of berths including deep-water ones capable of handling large vessels, and a considerable cargo and container throughput that has been growing. Its continuous development, including the expansion of the Guang’ao Port area, indicates its ongoing importance as a major coastal port in China and the gateway to eastern Guangdong.
While precise figures for total land and water area dedicated to the port are harder to find, the combination of the number of port areas, berths, coastline length, and throughput volume paints a picture of a large and active port playing a crucial role in regional and international trade.