The shipping capacity of Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province had reached 8.24 million tons as of the end of April this year. [Photo/WeChat account: china-zjftz]

The shipping capacity of Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province had reached 8.24 million metric tons as of the end of April this year, local media reported on May 7.

The city currently is home to more than 630 companies involved in waterway freight and international shipping, ranking first among coastal cities in China.

"With abundant private capital, flexible market mechanisms, and more independent ship trading, Zhoushan's shipping capacity increased 290,000 tons from last year," said a staff member from the city's bureau of shipping and ports.

He added that the improved shipping capacity can be attributed to the relatively complete port industrial chain that has taken shape in Zhoushan.

Since 2015, the port city has established a whole-cargo transport system for metal, iron ore, oil products, grain, and coal, as well as a professional transport system for containers.

In addition, the ships available in Zhoushan have been transformed to be large scale, specialized, and international.

Statistics showed that the average tonnage of ships in the city is 5,228 tons, a 37.6 percent increase than that at the end of 2015, and the shipping capacity of 10,000-ton or above ships accounts for 59 percent of Zhoushan's total, six percentage points higher than that in 2015.

The total shipping capacity of specialized ships for oil and chemical products amounted to 2.09 million tons, leading other coastal cities in the country.

The average vessel age of fleets in the city is six to seven years, far younger than the national average of 10 to 11 years.