Zhoushan Port in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, delivers 434 million metric tons of cargo in the first three quarters of this year, a year-on-year increase of 7.08 percent. [Photo/WeChat account: china-zjftz]

Zhoushan Port in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, delivered 434 million tons of cargo in the first three quarters of this year, a year-on-year increase of 7.08 percent, local media reported on Nov 3.

The throughput of foreign trade cargo in Zhoushan Port has maintained double-digit growth for six months in a row.

In the first nine months of this year, Zhoushan Port handled 134 million tons of foreign trade cargo, a year-on-year increase of 13.48 percent, including 1.29 million twenty-foot equivalent unit containers.

Zhoushan has taken measures to improve the cargo-handling capacity of Zhoushan Port this year.

In July, Zhoushan released policies to reduce the pilotage fees of ships seeking to refuel in Mazhi anchorage ground and in August, the city published operating instructions for supplies for international ships in the anchorage grounds of China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Statistics show that Mazhi anchorage ground offered pilotage service to 353 ships from January to September, a year-on-year increase of 60.5 percent, while 513 international oil carriers berthed at Zhoushan Port, 134 carriers more than last year, carrying more than 53.62 million tons of oil and gas.

In the first three quarters of this year, Zhoushan Port invested 1.93 billion yuan ($291 million) in building wharfs, including the 400,000-ton Shulanghu wharf for minerals and the 300,000-ton Huangzeshan and Waidiao wharfs for oil products.

Currently, Zhoushan Port contains more than 300 wharfs with an annual navigation capacity of nearly 500 million tons, including 11 250,000-ton wharfs.

Moreover, in addition to paperless customs clearance for ships, Zhoushan also streamlines applications for bonded oil filling and ship supplies by combining the application platforms.

In the first nine months of this year, Zhoushan Port supplied 3.26 million tons of bonded oil, a year-on-year increase of 17.7 percent.

Zhoushan Port departments have also optimized logistics systems and the structures of freight capacity for shipping companies in Zhoushan.

Zhoushan is currently responsible for transiting 60 percent of the grain and 50 percent of the iron ore along the Yangtze River.

As of the end of September, Zhoushan is home to 279 shipping companies with 1,554 ships, including 449 ships for oil products and 100 ships for chemical products.