A new eco-friendly link between Yantian International Container Terminals (YICT) at Shenzen’s busiest port and Guangzhou has been launched with a load of Wyeth powdered milk.

Yantian International Container Terminals is a joint venture established by Hutchison Port Holdings and Shenzhen Yantian Port Group and started operations in mid-1994.

The company is responsible for operating and managing Phases I, II, III and Expansion Project at Yantian Port. The company has seen a double-digit growth rate in its annual handling over the past years. In 2006 it handled a total of 8.865 million TEU.

On its site YICT has a most wondrous game where you can Test Your Potential as a Captain. The writer came out as a suitable candidate for running, at best, the Titanic.

Yantian is a preferred port of call for mega-container vessels in South China. Shipping lines, including Maersk, Evergreen, Hyundai and OOCL, have become some of the major clients. A total of 36 well-known shipping lines have opened over 80 weekly shipping services at Yantian.

Ronald Leung, head of cargo sourcing at YICT and general manager of Pingyan Railway Company said, ‘As railway transportation enjoys the advantages of large freight volumes and low pollution emissions, YICT has worked closely with the state railway authority and Wyeth and has taken the lead in launching this new eco-friendly mode of import transportation in South China.’

Since cargo shipment in Guangdong is export oriented, many empty containers have to be delivered to Guangzhou first, before they are loaded with cargo for export, which increases costs in cargo movement.

The relationship between YICT and Wyeth will result in the shipment of import laden containers to Wyeth’s distribution centre in Guangzhou, after which the same containers will be loaded with cargo and then delivered to YICT for export.