China plans to construct eight port transportation systems focusing on special freight shipping services, according to the Ministry of Communications (MOC).

The port development project issued on Monday focuses on eight types of freight which are coal, petroleum, iron ore, containers, grain, autos, island transportation and passengers.

Coal shipping will be developed in seven ports in North China as well as special docks at power generating stations in East and South China.

Petroleum products, liquefied natural gas and iron ore will be offloaded as specially designed docks.

According to the project, China will develop its container shipping system at Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Suzhou, Xiamen, Shenzhen, Guangzhou from north to south.

Grain and auto handling facilities will also be developed.

China's ports will be divided into five clusters.

The Bohai Sea port cluster in North China will include ports in northeastern Liaoning Province, in Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province and Shandong Province.

The Yangtze Rive Delta port cluster includes Shanghai, Ningbo and Lianyungang in East China and the southeastern cluster is comprised of ports in Fujian Province which will meet trade needs across the Taiwan Straits.

The port cluster in the Pearl River Delta will focus on shipping services in South China and trade between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao.

The port cluster in southwest China covers ports in West Guangdong Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hainan, the southernmost province of the country.

Source: Xinhua