This growth was attributed to the rapid increase in the transpacific trade with the United States, handling 639,981 TEU to and from the US, a 32.6 per cent year-on-year leap forward.

Said Nansha-Guangzhou Port America CEO John Painter: "It seems Port of Nansha is really catching on with the North America marketplace, and the industry recognises our proven value proposition. 

The port has four services to the US west coast, and Mr Painter said the port and shippers are actively seeking an east coast service.

Nansha is the only deepwater port on the west side of the Pearl, an area that is less congested than the Shenzhen and Hong Kong on the east side of the delta, he said.

It is also close to many factories providing products for export as well as a rising population of domestic consumers. 

Mr Painter told IHS Media that major BCO shippers, anxious to look good to environmentalist investors such as civil service pension funds, so look to their supply chains reducing their carbon footprint and appearing as green as they can.

So rather than truck the exports to more distant coastal ports like Shenzhen and Hong Kong from inland factories were wages are lower, upstream Nansha is increasingly preferred as it cuts truck transits and wins social responsibility brownie points.

Mr Painter said the port and shippers are actively seeking an east coast service. The port's location is the only deepwater port on the west side of the Pearl River Delta, which is a key to the recent surge.