Hutchison Ports Yantian (Yantian) said in early February it reached a cumulative throughput of 200 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) — which it noted is a world record in a mere 26.5 years, setting a remarkable milestone for the container port industry in Shenzhen.

"As an international shipping hub in the Greater Bay Area, Yantian epitomises Shenzhen’s progress under China’s reform and opening-up policies," it said in a statement.

In July 1994, Yantian welcomed the first line-haul container vessel and has since evolved into one of the world’s busiest container terminals.

Capable of receiving simultaneous calls of five of the world’s largest 18,000+ TEU container vessel, the terminal has also become the preferred port of call for mega-vessels.

“As a key container operator of Shenzhen and South China, Yantian serves over one-third of the import and export container traffic of the Guangdong province and one-fourth of the container volume generated by the Sino-US trade. It has contributed to Shenzhen’s success as an important logistics hub within the Asia-Pacific region and facilitated the economic growth of the city in the Greater Bay Area,” commented Patrick Lam, managing director of Hutchison Ports Yantian.

He noted, however, that these milestones are the outcomes of the collective effort among stakeholders of the port including its business partners, customers and its staff.

In its statement, it noted that Yantian has always been an innovator, setting trends and standards in the industry. Some of its more recent initiatives include: becoming the first terminal operator in Shenzhen to install remote-control operations for gantry cranes; its mobile shore power systems leading the industry in providing shore power in serving the world’s largest container vessels; and its 156yt, the smart logistics platform of Yantian Port, enhanced service capabilities of Shenzhen's digital port ecosystem.

Increased throughput amid COVID-19

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yantian said it achieved a 2% increase in its annual throughput in 2020 compared to the previous year, sending a positive signal to the port and logistics industry as they navigate the complex global business landscape during the pandemic.