Yantian to commission second berth for mega-containerships this year

Yantian to commission second berth for mega-containerships this year    A second berth suitable for 100,000-deadweight-ton containerships, and a yard of 200,000 square meters, will be commissioned by the end of the year in the South China port of Yantian, under the latest expansion plan of Yantian International Container Terminals.
   The first berth for very large containerships, under the four-berth expansion plan, opened on Oct. 16. The last two berths are scheduled to be commissioned by the middle and end of 2004.
   “To satisfy the port’s development needs and accommodate the larger container vessels of the future, the project has been designed to provide a water depth of 16 meters (52 feet) in both waterways and at the quayside,” the port operator said, commenting on its “phase 3” development plan. The existing channel will be widened to 410 meters (1,345 feet) to allow two-way ship traffic for larger container vessels.
   Ship-to-shore, post-Panamax quay cranes will have an outreach of 65 meters (213 feet), capable of handling 23-row-wide containerships.
   Hong Kong-based Hutchison Port Holdings holds a 65-percent interest in the phase 3 development, which will cost a total of HK$6.6 billion (about $850 million).