Shenzhen in south China handled more than 20 million TEUs by mid-December and it strives to climb the world’s container throughput ladder.

Currently number four behind Shanghai, Shenzhen is adding port capacity at breakneck speed with the giant Dachan Bay complex scheduled to come online soon.

The current port standings have Singapore on top, followed by Hong Kong, Shanghai and then Shenzhen. However, Shanghai is on target to hurdle both Singapore and Hong Kong by the end of next year. Shenzhen will move into second place by the end of 2009.

A Shenzhen port spokesman said 50 lines opened 183 international container shipping routes between January and October.