China's Tianjin Port Given Approval to Expand

The port will be allowed to increase its number of berths to 146 from 75.

Tianjin Port in China last week was given approval by Chinese authorities to expand its operational waters, IHS Maritime 360 reports. 

The port will now be allowed to expand its operational waters to 1,590 square kilometres and increase its number of berths to 146 from 75.

"The project will help Tianjin port transform and upgrade with infrastructure construction", said Gao Yuqing, deputy director of port management at the Tianjin Municipal People's Government.

"The new berths will help boost the regional integration of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei province, and further drive the economic growth of surrounding regions such as Shandong and Henan provinces."

The port is the largest in Northern China, having handled over 500 million tonnes of cargo in 2013, making it the fourth largest port in the world.

It was also the eleventh largest container port last year with the throughput of 13 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).

"The expansion will pave the way to facilitate free trade around the Bohai Bay Economic Rim and trilateral integration among China, Japan, and South Korea," said Qin Haiying, a professor Nankai University.

The emphasis on development in the Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei areas are a part of a national strategy outlined by the Chinese government earlier this year. 

Tianjin has been identified as one of the ports that will benefit from the growing ease of traveling through the Arctic.

Chinese authorities also blocked a shipping alliance between Maersk Line, CMA CGM and Mediterranean Shipping Co. earlier this year due to competition concerns.