The port of Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi province, reported an increase of 21.9 per cent in container throughput to 28,872 TEU during the first half of 2011. Out of this total, just over a third was export-related while the rest was related to domestic trade.

A major port on Gangjiang River, a tributary of the Yangtze, Nanchang has become an important feeder for Jiujiang port, in which Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) holds a 92 per cent stake.

The number of regular calls between Jiujiang and Nanchang increased from 20 a week to a dozen daily after the two ports formed a strategic alliance in 2009.

China’s largest port, Shanghai, has also performed well over the first half of the year, handling 15.3m TEU, up 10.5 per cent year-on-year. However, this growth rate was down on the 18.8 per cent recorded in 2010.

Shanghai’s general cargo turnover rose 11.7 per cent to 236.1m tons, said SIPG.