THE Chinese Port of Tianjin is expected to see its container throughput exceed 5.9 million TEU by the end of this year, 1.1 million TEU more than last year's total.

Port authorities are also forecasting that cargo volumes will rise to 255 million tons by the end of the year, Xinhua reports.

At present, construction has started on building phase three of the Beigangchi terminal and a 300,000-ton oil terminal at the port.

The project to expand the sailing channel to accommodate 200,000-ton vessels is also nearing completion. A 200,000-ton ore terminal has also just started operation.

The port currently handles about 700,000 tons of cargo each day on average, with a crane efficiency of 36 boxes per hour and a vessel turnaround rate of 300 containers per hour.