THE new joint-venture terminal of Cosco Pacific and Xiamen's Haicang Investment Group has become operational, Xinhua reports.

The two parties invested CNY4.52 billion (US$710.7 million) on the terminal, which Cosco Pacific holds 70 per cent stake. The terminal is located in the second phase of Xiamen's Haicang Bonded Port Area, covering a quay length of 1,508 metres and a land area of 810 metres. It has a depth of 15 metres and can be deepened to 17 metres, has four berths, 14-17, with a optimum capacity of 2.6 million TEU and maximum of three million TEU.
According to the development plan, the Haicang port area will reach 31 berths at full build out with 11 berths with capacities of 100,000 tonnes and 50,000 tonnes. By 2015, the port area will have a capacity of 10 million TEU, or 100 million tonnes.
The Port of Xiamen was operating a total of 188 container shipping lines in 2010. During the first 10 months of this year, the port lifted 5.22 million TEU, or 130 million tonnes. Its container throughput ranked at the seventh in China and 19th in the world.