[Ferro-Alloys.com] The Liaoning Port Group opened three new routes from Dalian to Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, and South Korea in the first half of this year. Its foreign trade route network now covers more than 300 ports in over 160 countries and regions.

In the first four months of this year, cargo throughput and container throughput showed double-digit growth year on year.

The growth was steady for its main types of cargo, such as iron ore, crude oil, steel, coal, grain and commercial vehicles, showing the advantage of integration.

Last year, Dalian Port handled 467 million metric tons of cargo and 9.71 million TEUs while the figures for Yingkou Port were 293 million tons and 6.04 million TEUs.

The province has a solid industrial foundation and abundant logistics resources, said Li Jianhong, chairman of the China Merchants Group. CMG will give full play to the group's global port and shipping resources and network advantages, Li said.

The Liaoning Port Group has 10 major port areas with total assets of nearly 200 billion yuan ($28.4 billion) and 35,000 employees. It boasts 195 modern berths.

Bai Jingtao, general manager of Liaoning Port Group, said the integration was indicative of Northeast China's opening-up to the outside world, and "an important driving force for Northeast China's revitalization, as well as being a major logistics channel in Northeast Asia".(Chinadaily)

• [Editor:kangmingfei]