SIMIC

The company's container port business delivered a throughput totalling 135 million TEU, up 12 per cent year on year. Container volumes handled by its ports in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan exceeded 100 million TEU for the first time, a year-on-year increase of 10.7 per cent.

Total dry and bulk cargo throughput was 567 million tonnes, an increase of 38 per cent. Ports in mainland China handled a total bulk cargo volume of 560 million tonnes, up 38.5 per cent compared to the previous year.

The company's domestic and overseas ports maintained stable operation under the Covid-pandemic in 2021, however, the repeated outbreak of the pandemic did bring certain challenges, said the company.

"Recently some ports in China, such as the two major hub ports of Shenzhen and Shanghai, had increased the level of pandemic prevention and control measures which prolonged the ship berthing time and affected handling capability of the ports," said Wang Xiufeng, CEO of China Merchants Port.

"The company's ports actively optimised their operation process to shorten the operating time of vessels at ports, frequently communicated with shipping lines and cargo owners and implemented a 'loaded container reservation system' to reduce the detention time of containers and continued to update its pandemic response measures."

The continued outbreak of the epidemic and the orientation of various countries' anti-epidemic policies have led to a divergence in the economic recovery in different countries in 2021. Together with uncertainties such as inflation, unstable supply chain, complications in geopolitical issues and exchange rate fluctuations, which all imposed challenges to the daily operation and management of industry players.

The shortage of containers and the congestion of ports worldwide will not be improved significantly this year, forecasted the company.

At the beginning of 2022, CMPort's container throughput in the Pearl River Delta region was affected by the Chinese New Year holidays and the pandemic. But the container throughput in the Yangtze River Delta region performed well and its overseas terminals also maintained steady growth.

In 2022, CMPort will strengthen the construction of its homebase ports and its consolidated terminals to refine and optimise its existing portfolio, focusing on investment opportunities in RCEP countries based on the principles of commercial feasibility and risk control, and will also strengthen its strategic cooperation with CMA CGM Group and use Terminal Link as the platform to explore projects in mature markets in Europe and America.