<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The JOURNAL of COMMERCE ONLINETianjin, one of Northern China's a major ports, plans to inves</div>

The JOURNAL of COMMERCE ONLINETianjin, one of Northern China's a major ports, plans to inves

<div class="phx-topic">The JOURNAL of COMMERCE ONLINETianjin, one of Northern China's a major ports, plans to invest 7 billion yuan ($875 million) to improve its port infrastructure in 2006. The port city invested $613 million in 2005 in infrastructure construction in 2005, according to the Xinhua news service.During the 2006-2010 period, a total of $4.6 billion will be invested on Tianjin port construction. The new investments will be concentrated on the construction of deep-water channels and expansion of the port space to turn the port into an international shipping center for northern China.</div>

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Port of Tianjin plans $875 million upgrade

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">One of northern China's largest ports is implementing new technology to improve efficiency, aid in t</div>

One of northern China's largest ports is implementing new technology to improve efficiency, aid in t

<div class="phx-topic">One of northern China's largest ports is implementing new technology to improve efficiency, aid in tracking and boost logistics.PSA Corp., operator of Singapore's container terminals, is installing its Portnet electronic commerce system at the Port of Dalian.A new joint venture, Dalian Portnet Co., will deploy the proprietary e-commerce system at Dalian Container Terminal, Dalian Domestic Container Terminal and eight conventional terminals, said Yeo Cheow Tong, Singapore's minister for communications and information technology.''Portnet will simplify and improve business processes and enable users to closely track their cargo shipped through Dalian. It will make Dalian an attractive logistics node and strengthen its position as a major hub in the northeast China region,'' he said.The Port of Dalian Authority and PSA forged their original joint venture in 1996. The venture, PSA's first foray out of Singapore, covered operation of the Dalian Container Terminal. The facility handled nearly 630,000 TEUs last year, a gain of 32 percent on 1998, and compared with about 400,000 when it began.Portnet is one of the foundations of Singapore's success in an increasingly competitive market. PSA last year processed more than 16 million TEUs.Portnet, which opened in 1984, has 6,400 users and handles 5 million transactions a month. PSA bills it as the only nationwide e-commerce community for ports and shipping in the world.Meanwhile, the company also announced today that it had entered an agreement with eGuide Singapore Pte. Ltd. to create an online shipping directory for Singapore's shipping industry.Under the agreement, eGuide will develop a website that will feature real-time updates from eGuide's main information directory server. The page will be located on Portnet.com's website, <a href="http://www.portnet.com">www.portnet.com</a>.</div>

PSA INSTALLS HIGH-TECH SYSTEM AT CHINA'S PORT OF DALIAN

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">With strikes against the world's largest automakers again proving disruptive to their global supply </div>

With strikes against the world's largest automakers again proving disruptive to their global supply

<div class="phx-topic">With strikes against the world's largest automakers again proving disruptive to their global supply chains, it may be time to change just-in-time to just-in-case.Automotive supply chains are vulnerable to work stoppages because the industry is dependent on just-in-time production. The evidence is seen in ongoing walkouts against General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Corp.Just-in-time systems are designed so that parts and components arrive at factories just as they're needed for assembly. This cuts down and, sometimes, eliminates the need for warehousing expensive parts.Automakers have saved billions on inventory through just-in-time systems, because instead of pulling parts and components from storage, they rely on daily shipments of globally sourced parts for production the next day or week.''With our commitment to run our manufacturing as lean as possible, (just-in-time) fits in as an important part of that process,'' said Daniel Flores, a spokesman for GM's Truck Group. ''It is one of the ways we improve our competitiveness.''But when a plant making a critical part like engines shuts down, there is little buffer stock to draw on, said Joe Martha, vice president and leader of supply chain management at Mercer Management Consulting.When an engine plant goes on strike, the assembly plants it supplies cannot produce vehicles, so they shut down. Other plants, such as those that supply windshields, seats, chassis or electrical parts, follow. ''A strike does shut (automakers) down fairly fast,'' said John P. Dittman, vice president of global logistics at Whirlpool.This is what is happening to Chrysler. Some 1,850 workers belonging to United Auto Workers Local 51 have been on strike against Chrysler's Mound Road engine plant in Detroit since April 10 in a dispute over gender discrimination, outsourcing and health and safety issues.With the engine plant down, five other Chrysler plants have shut, said Dan Moore, a Chrysler spokesman.These include Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly plant in Detroit, makers of Jeep Grand Cherokees; the Warren Truck Plant in Warren, Mich., producers of Dodge Ram and Dodge Dakotas; Warren, Mich., the St. Louis North plant that assembles Dodge Ram trucks; the Pillett Road assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario, that builds Dodge Rams; and Detroit's Conner Avenue windshield wiper plant.''The strike has had a ripple effect,'' said Ron Prairie of Local 51 in Warren. ''They're (Chrysler) laying off 50 to 60 people each week.''But this is minor compared with GM's disaster last March when a strike at an Ohio brake plant shut 27 of the giant automaker's 29 assembly plants, costing it $15 million.This month's strike has 5,850 United Auto Workers off the job at GM's Pontiac East truck assembly plant, its engineering facilities and a Lear Seating factory in Rochester Hills, Mich.3,500 have been on strike at GM's Chevy Malibu and Cutlass assembly plant in Oklahoma City since April 4, said Bill Betts, a spokesman for GM's Small Car Group.Factories of GM parts suppliers are still running because they are shipping parts to a Malibu plant in Wilmington, Del., but they are operating at reduced manpower.The walkout at Pontiac began March 24 over GM's failure to hire 60 people to ease workloads and outsourcing, work that should be done by union employees, said Jim Abare, sourcing coordinator in UAW Local 594 in Pontiac, Mich.''GM's been trying to get rid of people for a long time. As people retire, they're not replacing them,'' he said. ''And now people are working excessive overtime. Some are coming in four hours early and others are staying four hours late.''With the strikes having widespread effects, some believe that just-in-time manufacturers should consider alternative sourcing so their supply chains does not fall victim to interruptions like strikes.''GM may not be building enough safety stock to contend with a strike either through secondary sourcing relationships or through outsourcing so that they can have some flexibility,'' said Sandor Boyson, director of the Graduate School of Management and Technology at the University of Maryland.But automakers said this is nearly impossible.''If we run into the misfortune of a strike or some other issue, you just have try to work around them,'' said a Chrysler logistics manager who requested anonymity. ''Having too much safety stock and too long a lead time becomes a hardship in itself.''''My bias is that (just-in-time) is the way to go,'' Whirlpool's Mr. Dittman said. ''The benefits far outweigh the periodic costs, even though those costs are pretty spectacular in that they are so visible.''The strike will not lead to anyone moving away from just-in-time systems, added George Gecowets, executive director of the Council of Logistics Management. This is because all sectors of business, not just logistics, are moving toward scheduled events.Just-in-time ''is simply one example of this,'' he said.</div>

JUST-IN-TIME MAKES BIG 3 VULNERABLE TO STRIKES

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The northern Chinese Port of Dalian, already undergoing rapid expansion to cope with growing busines</div>

The northern Chinese Port of Dalian, already undergoing rapid expansion to cope with growing busines

<div class="phx-topic">The northern Chinese Port of Dalian, already undergoing rapid expansion to cope with growing business, will get a boost from one of the world's most accomplished port operators and a big U.S. investor.The Port of Singapore Authority said it will join Jurong Town Corp., AIG Asian Infrastructure Fund LP and Sembawang Maritime Ltd. in a joint venture with the Port of Dalian Authority to build a container terminal.The AIG fund is part of American International Group Inc., a New York-based insurance firm. Sembawang is a Singapore shipbuilder and engineering concern, and Jurong Town Corp. a government-backed Singapore developer of industrial estates there and in China.COST PUT AT $480 MILLIONThe newly formed consortium - Singapore-Dalian Port Investment Pte. Ltd. - said the project will cost around 4 billion yuan ($480 million). Singapore-Dalian will hold 49 percent, with the rest owned by Dalian Container Comprehensive Development.The Singapore port agency controls 70.6 percent of Singapore-Dalian, Jurong Town Corp., AIG and Sembawang 9.8 percent each. The venture is the PSA's first overseas investment in a port and thus launches its drive to become more international.Dalian Container Terminal Co. Ltd., the operating arm of the group, will develop, manage, own and operate berths. Two container berths are functioning and a third is near completion. The new company will develop two more that will be operational next year and in 1999.HEAVY INDUSTRY CENTERThe city is at the bottom of the Liaodong Peninsula in Liaoning province, a heavy industry center. ''Dalian is a deep water port with unrestricted draft and extensive export facilities,'' said Tony Clark, secretary of the Hong Kong Port Development Board, which has made a study of China's ports.Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. of Hong Kong operates a feeder service between Hong Kong and Dalian in conjunction with China Merchants Holdings Co., an arm of the Chinese Ministry of Communications. OOCL is the only foreign carrier with dedicated feeder service between the two.Container volume through Dalian was the equivalent of 305,000 20-foot boxes, or TEUs, in 1994 and was expected to hit 350,000 last year. Final figures haven't been released.Zhang De Xin, vice director of the Dalian port agency, forecasts throughput will rise more than 20 percent a year. ''By the year 2000, the figure will reach between 800,000 and 1 million TEUs.''ANNUAL GROWTH TOPS 10 PERCENTIn recent years, Dalian has registered annual growth of more than 10 percent in box volume. This spurred the effort to expand the Dayaogang harbor district where the new project is sited.Dayaogang, about 30 miles from the city proper, handles half of all freight shipped between China and South Korea, one of the largest sources of investment in the city.The Liaodong peninsula is a prime investment area, with 11 development regions designated by the central government. More than 50 multinationals announced projects in the region last year, seven of them worth more than $100 million.The Dalian Economic and Technology Development Zone alone said it approved 270 overseas-funded enterprises involving $1.26 billion last year. The zone has 1,366 such firms with combined investment of $6.23 billion, ranking first in China.</div>

SINGAPORE-US VENTURE TO GIVE CHINA'S PORT OF DALIAN A BOOST

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The Port of Singapore Authority said it aims to boost container capacity to the equivalent of 16 mil</div>

The Port of Singapore Authority said it aims to boost container capacity to the equivalent of 16 mil

<div class="phx-topic">The Port of Singapore Authority said it aims to boost container capacity to the equivalent of 16 million 20-foot boxes (TEUs) by 1996 from 13 million now.Singapore processed 9 million TEUs last year, up 20 percent on the 1992 level. That kept it in second place worldwide after Hong Kong's 9.2 million TEUs, an increase of 15.5 percent.Goh Chee Wee, Singapore's minister of Trade, Industry and Communications, said the extra capacity will come from conversion of the last two general cargo berths at Keppel Wharf into box facilities. He forecast this would cost S$189 million (US$126 million).Speaking at the opening of a S$400 million container freight station, Mr. Goh praised the government-run port agency's foresight for developing the small island into a transshipment hub for the region.The authority "has planned and built port infrastructure like berths and warehouses ahead of demand. Long-term planning has kept PSA responsive to changes in trade patterns and customer requirements," he said.Extracts from his remarks were made available here.The new Keppel Distripark, as the freight station is known, adds 1.2 million square feet of covered space, bringing the port authority's total to just over 6 million square feet.It features automated 46-foot-tall racking systems, a port authority statement said. The freight station, like all of Singapore's port, relies heavily on computers for yard planning and documentation.Singapore also has taken a regional lead in use of electronic data interchange, which uses computerized forms to replace paperwork in trade, Its PortNet system links ships, shippers, customs, finance houses and other interested parties.Work is under way on a mammoth addition to container facilities known as the Pasir Panjang megaport on a man-made island opposite the existing Brani and Tanjong Pagar terminals.Phase one, with capacity for 22 million TEUs, is expected to be ready by 1997 at a cost of S$2 billion. The second stage, priced at nearly S$5 billion, will phase in 18 berths through the year 2009 for total capacity of 36 million TEUs.Just over a year ago, the PSA spent S$328 million for 93 quay, rubber-tired gantry and rail-mounted gantry cranes for the Tanjong Pagar, Keppel and Brani terminals.</div>

Singapore to convert cargo berths in bid to boost container capacity

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The world of LTL is slow to embrace change. Business anachronisms permeate current supply chain processes. These vestiges of the way things used to work define the LTL freight transportation procurement process of many modern shippers.David Knuth, logistics specialist at IEWC, a global supplier of cable and wire based in Wisconsin, is happy to have modernized the RFP process, automating the entire LTL bidding procedure with Bid$ense, SMC³’s automated truckload and LTL freight transportation sourcing solution. But when prompted, he can still recall what once was.In his previous job, a large part of his duties were consumed by creating an intermodal bid package for carriers. In a spreadsheet, Knuth detailed the company’s volumes lane by lane, taking care to delete any errant keystrokes or misleading data. He would then email out the information to each carrier, taking time to respond to detailed technical questions about the spreadsheet data. Finally, he had to compile all the results, create an algorithm that would compare the carriers on each lane, and award the business.“It was a huge undertaking. It took about four months to do,” Knuth said of the old process. “It was almost a full-time job for that part of the year, every year.”In his new job at IEWC, he sat down with Bid$ense on day one and was amazed at the capabilities. Knuth had never before used a bid tool. SMC³’s latest versions of Bid$ense automate the process even further, taking truckload and LTL RFPs entirely online. The tool draws on RFP best-practices protocols to streamline the bidding communication process, enabling bidding carriers to respond accurately and promptly to shipper requests. The solution also does all the distribution work automatically, electronically submitting shipper bid data to carriers based on their actual service capabilities and performance records. Carriers are alerted with timely prompts for RFP deliverables, so shippers aren’t waiting by the phone for responses.Another benefit of automating the process is the data-cleansing assistance. When Knuth sent spreadsheets to carriers, data errors might cloud the bidding process; he might have to resend data or simply accept a price that did not truly reflect the costs of doing business. Data cleansing is incredibly beneficial, he said.The spreadsheet technique also made bidding analysis an onerous task. Since Bid$ense automates and streamlines the entire RFP process, intensive examination is now simple. SMC³ knows that each bid has more than one best outcome. With uniform responses from each carrier, shippers can quickly rank results and create an unlimited quantity of what-if scenarios to make the optimal procurement decision.Jesse Burnett of Central Garden &amp; Pet experiences many of the same benefits. Founded in 1980, Central Garden &amp; Pet has spent the last three decades growing from a small garden supply company to a provider of a range of products from dog chews and bird seed to soil supplements and natural insecticides. For much of its life, the company shipped these disparate goods via LTL and truckload carriers to retailers throughout the country, relying on each business unit to negotiate directly with their freight transportation providers. This arrangement worked fairly well for a small company, but as Central Garden &amp; Pet expanded, leadership decided to consolidate decision making.Burnett helped centralize the transportation decision making in 2015 with SMC³’s Bid$ense. Before Bid$ense, every business unit operated independently as far as negotiating with carriers.“There were a lot of different things just floating around,” he said. “We didn’t have master agreements in place; no national pricing at all. The pricing from carriers was just all over the place, depending on where you were.”The transformations he saw with Bid$ense were immediate. Burnett has been using the tool about every other year since its implementation at the company. Central Garden and Pet’s $19.6 million 2019 LTL bid saved the company just more than 9 percent when compared to its historical average. For Burnett, though, bid automation extends far beyond savings.“We knew that we weren’t getting the best pricing offer from our carriers just because nothing was centralized,” he continued. “We knew that if we combined everything from all these business units and paired it with one corporate offering, then it would drive some cost benefit with it.”When the company initially decided to centralize bid procurement, executives researched a number of different methodologies and technologies. In the end, though, Burnett found that Bid$ense was both widespread and well known, and that his carrier partners already knew how to use the application. Burnett also highlighted the data-cleansing process as a major benefit, saying the rigorous process ensures that carriers always return the best price.“It definitely has helped drive savings,” he said. “Any time you go out there and you drive that competitiveness with the carriers and they know they’re in a bid environment, it seems to sharpen their pencils.”Transportation procurement is an integral part of the modern supply chain. With Bid$ense, shippers can develop a strategic implementation plan that saves them time and money, but also helps them create strong relationships with their carrier partners. These carriers appreciate the solution’s data-cleansing process; when carriers receive a complete shipment history and future volume forecast, they don’t have to guess on pricing. Carriers that receive more data from shippers get a complete picture of that shipper’s freight, allowing them to accurately plan instead of simply preparing for the worst-case scenario. Clean data presented through an automated system can lead to both bigger shipment savings and a lasting partnership between carrier and customer.Whether customers are looking to streamline over-the-road transportation bidding by automating the RFP process or create an entirely new, centralized sourcing process, Bid$ense has the analytical horsepower to get the job done.SMC³ 2020 Customer Case Study

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Shippers save money, time with automated transportation bidding tools

SSA Marine Mexico has made significant strides in modernizing its infrastructure at the Port of Manzanillo, investing $15 million to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability at its facilities. This move is part of the company's broader strategy to remain at the forefront of the shipping and logistics industry. •	Strengthening Sustainability with Advanced Technology <figure class="joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left"><img src="/content-assets/1730488295264_Cranes%20arrival%20to%20TEC%20I.png" alt="Cranes arrival to TEC I" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit"></figure> In July, SSA Marine Mexico added seven state-of-the-art E-RTG (Electric Rubber-Tired Gantry) cranes to its fleet, valued at $14 million. These advanced cranes were distributed across its two terminals: four cranes were assigned to the Multipurpose Terminal, and three to the Specialized Container Terminal I. What sets these cranes apart is their dual-operation capability, allowing them to function either on electric power or diesel fuel. This innovation plays a critical role in reducing the environmental impact of operations, contributing to a 7% increase in energy efficiency. This efficiency improvement is equivalent to eliminating nearly 4,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, underscoring SSA Marine Mexico's commitment to sustainability. Through this acquisition, SSA Marine Mexico not only enhances its cargo-handling capabilities but also reinforces its leadership in integrating cutting-edge, eco-friendly technology in the maritime industry. The company continues to push the boundaries of efficiency and sustainability, ensuring long-term value for both its customers and the environment. •	Upgraded Facilities to Meet Growing Demand <figure class="joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left"><img src="/content-assets/1730488350634_Multipurpose%20terminal.png" alt="Multipurpose Terminal" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit"></figure> In addition to the new cranes, SSA Marine Mexico has completed crucial modernization and repair work across its Multipurpose Terminal and Specialized Facility at the Port of Manzanillo. This $1 million investment targeted critical infrastructure enhancements, focusing on both structural integrity and operational functionality. Key improvements included leveling approximately 12,000 square meters in the dock area, along with the removal of outdated concrete curbs and asphalt layers. The upgraded space now features high-resistance pavers designed to optimize water drainage and prevent pooling, ensuring safer and more efficient operations. Moreover, the Specialized Facility saw significant upgrades, including the leveling of key warehouse areas to facilitate smoother cargo handling processes. These infrastructure improvements directly enhance the handling of TEUS (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit containers), further demonstrating SSA Marine Mexico's unwavering commitment to continuous modernization, operational safety, and efficiency. With these initiatives, SSA Marine Mexico is well-positioned to meet the growing demands of the global shipping industry while setting new standards in sustainable port operations. LINK:<a href="https://www.ssamarine.mx/ssa-ing/index" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link"> https://www.ssamarine.mx/ssa-ing/index</a>

Cranes arrival to TEC I.png

SSA Marine Mexico Modernizes Facilities with $15 Million Investment 

If there’s one immutable truth in the world of logistics, it’s this: LTL is an inherently complex form of transportation. Tariffs, rates, DIM weights, transit times — it’s enough to confuse even seasoned logistics professionals. The solution to this knowledge gap has historically been on-the-job training or university supply chain education, but for a variety of reasons there is now a pressing need for third-party, remote LTL training that prepares logistics workers for transportation success. Global Scope Can Overlook Local Intricacies In the past, professionals looking to move into a supply chain career learned about the basics of supply chain from universities. However, many of these college supply chain programs are now global in scope, focusing on worldwide supply chain management instead of the intricacies of specialized domestic transportation. And even these programs, which used to be widespread, are becoming less common. LTL is not an industry of broad-brush strokes; supply chain professionals really need a pointillistic understanding of the logistics of LTL in order to excel in the industry. Accelerating Need for Dedicated LTL Education This lack of specified training put the onus on employers to prepare new hires with the LTL knowledge needed to do their jobs. Dedicated LTL study is a necessity, not a luxury. At the same time, changes in LTL and the broader supply chain world are accelerating. The reliance on e-commerce has ballooned since the start of the pandemic, and last-mile LTL shipments and related e-commerce strains on the supply chain won’t diminish once social distancing abates. That genie isn’t going back into the bottle. So supply chain employers need logistics workers that are fully versed in all aspects of the industry, ready to solve unique shipping and delivery problems based on their extensive supply chain knowledge But why care about LTL? It’s been reported that some shippers in today’s world are no longer concerned with what mode is used to ship their goods. A Multimodal Approach Ensures On-Time Delivery This mode agnosticism means supply chain stakeholders have to be well versed in all modes of transportation. As unforeseen weather events and other disruptions, such as protests, become more common, savvy logistics employees will need to be armed with familiarity of all modes, not just the most popular, to ensure that freight is delivered on time, without damage, and in the most financially expedient way possible. Offerings like SMC³’s LTL online education courses cover a wide range of topics from LTL basics and operations to more advanced concepts like pricing analytics and transportation law. The company also has plans to continually refresh content, adding new expert presenters and taking the feedback of students to make the courses even better as time goes on. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://logisticstrainingcenter.com/smc3-courses/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">SMC³’s LTL Online Education program</a>&nbsp;and view the 2021 hybrid schedule, featuring live industry experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smc3.com/onlinelearning2021/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">here.</a>

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Filling the Supply Chain Education Gap with LTL Education Courses

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<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">With construction complete and most equipment in place, trial runs have begun at the new container t</div>

With construction complete and most equipment in place, trial runs have begun at the new container t

<div class="phx-topic">With construction complete and most equipment in place, trial runs have begun at the new container terminal of the Port of Cochin in southwestern India.The port operated one of its two gantry cranes last weekend to unload 14 40- foot boxes from a feeder vessel, industry executives in Cochin said.The terminal was delayed for two years by cost escalation and other problems. It is now scheduled for formal commissioning in October.The 700 million-rupee ($22.5 million) project is being funded in part by the Asian Development Bank, which has provided a loan of 370 million rupees.In addition to the two quayside gantry cranes, the port has two rubber-tired gantry cranes, 19 tractor heads, 16 semi-trailers and 15 forklift trucks. A container freight station of 100,000 square feet will be attached to the terminal, with an additional parking yard.When fully operational, the terminal will have capacity equivalent to 75,000 20-foot boxes (TEUs) a year.Cochin handled 7.6 million metric tons of cargo in fiscal 1993-94 through last March 31 compared with 7.9 million tons the previous year. Box volume rose to 71,000 TEUs from 56,000.</div>

INDIA'S PORT OF COCHIN LAUNCHES TEST RUNS AT NEW BOX FACILITY

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">China's principal northern port of Tianjin has opened another joint-venture wharf and its first free</div>

China's principal northern port of Tianjin has opened another joint-venture wharf and its first free

<div class="phx-topic">China's principal northern port of Tianjin has opened another joint-venture wharf and its first free-trade zone, both intended to consolidate its strong position.Tianjin serves the inland capital, Beijing, and a huge swath of northern China. It already accounts for about one-quarter of Chinese container traffic and three-quarters of non-box cargoes, official figures show.An additional general cargo wharf with a quayside of more than 600 feet was opened last week, suitable for ships up to 42,000 tons. Initial cargo capacity is 500,000 tons a year, but that's projected to rise to 1.2 million tons over stages of expansion.The wharf is operated by Tianjin Xingang Sinor Terminal Co. The company is a US$10 million joint venture between Tianjin Port Co. and Gearbulk Ltd. of Norway, the first such foreign-backed project in the port.Tianjin pioneered joint ventures in the sea transport field in 1989 when it created the country's first commercial bonded warehouse. It was built and is operated by Dutch-based Royal Nedlloyd Group NV and the Tianjin Port Authority.The port is also the site of China's first purpose-built container complex, which now has four wharves. Tianjin Harbor Container Co. is claiming a record in handling the equivalent of 220,000 20-foot boxes, or TEUs, in the first eight months of this year.The central government has designated Tianjin the country's main international boxport. The container company has set up box-transfer points in a number of other cities, and plans to handle 600,000 TEUS a year by 1995.Nie Bichu, Tianjin's mayor, last week opened the city's first free-trade zone, a half-mile-square site about a mile from the port. Goods entering it do so free of customs and taxes, while products manufactured or assembled there are excused from tax if they are shipped out of the country.Tianjin port accounts for about US$10 billion, or one-tenth, of China's total foreign trade annually. The free-trade zone should raise that figure significantly, Mr. Nie said.Some 60 foreign and domestic businesses have visited the zone to explore its opportunities, said Zhu Qingyuan, its administrative head. Foreign banks and insurance companies are being actively wooed to set up in the zone.The zone has direct rail and road links to Beijing. Beyond that, three railroads offer access to Russia and Europe via Inner Mongolia, the northern frontier or across Xinjiang.</div>

CHINA'S PORT OF TIANJIN ADDS WHARF AND FREE-TRADE ZONE

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">China has agreed to allow Mongolia, its long-estranged neighbor, to use the Port of Tianjin as a tra</div>

China has agreed to allow Mongolia, its long-estranged neighbor, to use the Port of Tianjin as a tra

<div class="phx-topic">China has agreed to allow Mongolia, its long-estranged neighbor, to use the Port of Tianjin as a trade link to the rest of the world.The two sides signed an agreement Monday that also will permit the transport of goods through China to the port, the official People's Daily said Thursday.Tianjin is 869 miles southeast of landlocked Mongolia's capital, Ulan Bator.Mongolia, the size of Western Europe with a population of 3 million, lies between China and the Soviet Union.Diplomats said the agreement was crucial to Mongolia's economy, which is in tatters after its longtime communist patron Moscow withdrew supplies of gasoline late last year.Until now nearly all of Mongolia's trade has been with the Soviet Union.Last year Mongolia began opening to the outside world, viewing trade with China and the West as its best hope for developing its economy.</div>

CHINA WILL ALLOW MONGOLIA TO USE TIANJIN PORT FOR TRADE

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Officials in northeastern Tianjin are planning to import lighting and other equipment to develop the</div>

Officials in northeastern Tianjin are planning to import lighting and other equipment to develop the

<div class="phx-topic">Officials in northeastern Tianjin are planning to import lighting and other equipment to develop the inland port.International Tendering Co. will invite bids for lighting and power distribution equipment for the so-called pier project. No time frame is given.The company is under the supervision of government-owned China National Technical Import &amp; Export Corp. An important gateway to China's western hinterland, Tianjin is 28 miles from the Bohai Sea and 80 miles from Beijing. China's first and largest modern container terminal is located there, with capacity for 18 million tons of cargo a year.Three months ago Tianjin began to build bonded warehouses. Construction is under way on four with total floor space of 215,000 square feet, as well as a 21,000-square-foot stacking yard for transshipment, storage, customs handling, distribution and packaging. That project is a US$9 million joint venture with a Hong Kong unit of Royal Nedlloyd Group NV of Holland. Shanghai is the only other harbor in China to have bonded warehouses.Tianjin, China's fourth-largest port, is also using a World Bank loan to erect 11 berths for vessels up to 10,000 deadweight tons. The port now has 39 berths, 24 of which can accommodate 10,000-dwt. ships.</div>

CHINA PLANS TO UPGRADE THE PORT OF TIANJIN

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