Capital dredging will be carried out to widen the waterways in the western section of Shenzhen port in China. This will enable fully loaded 9,000 TEU ships and partially loaded 18,000 TEU ships to enter the western section of China’s fourth busiest container port.
The dredging works are estimated to take three years and would help Shenzhen to hit its target of handling 33 million TEU by 2025.
According to a notice issued by the Shenzhen municipal authority this month, Tonggu Channel and Dahao Channel (shared with the Guangzhou Port outbound channel), will be dredged.
The total length of the channel is about 25.7km, of which the Tonggu Channel is about 17km long, 470m wide, and has a bottom elevation of -17.5 m; the channel length of the connecting section of Dahao Channel is about 8.7km, the navigable width is 435m, and the designed bottom elevation is -17m.
Shenzhen Municipal Transportation and Public Facilities Construction Centre stated that about 75.09 million m³ of sediments and sand is expected to be dredged over the three years.
Municipal authorities said that after the waterways are deepened, the transportation capacity of Shenzhen Port will be improved, contributing to the development of an international shipping hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.
In 2021, Shenzhen processed 28.77 million TEU in 2021, up 8% from 2020, and, according to the city’s 14th Five-Year Plan, is targeting 33 million TEU in 2025. Besides deepening the waterway in the port’s western section, terminals in Shekou port’s eastern section will be expanded.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
