Annual bauxite throughput exceeds 100 million tons in Yantai

A cargo ship carrying 169,700 tons of bauxite unloaded at the west area of Yantai port, East China's Shandong province, on Dec 26.

Yantai's annual bauxite throughput this year exceeded 100 million tons for the first time. These unloaded bauxite ores were from Guinea in Africa, which has the richest bauxite resources in the world.

Since 2014, Yantai port has joined hands with Singapore Winning Group, Shandong Weiqiao and Guinea USM Co to create an international bauxite logistics chain.

The chain stretches over 14,000 nautical miles (25,928 kilometers) and across three countries. It is an international transport line linking African mines to China's terminal manufacturers.

Bauxite ore is transported from a Guinea port, through the Cape of Good Hope, the Indian Ocean and Malacca to China's Yantai port and is then carried to Weiqiao Group's alumina factory.

The operation of the route sets an example for multimodal transport of bulk cargo in the world maritime transportation field. Nowadays not only bauxite but also cement, construction machinery, steel structure and containers are transported by sea and other methods in long delivery chains.

Bauxite is the first kind of goods with throughput of over 100 million tons moving through Yantai port. The port's bauxite business continues to increase, and ranks first by value in China's bauxite trade.

Yantai, located at the entrance to the Bohai Bay, is one of China's key coastal ports and has cooperated with more than 100 ports in over 70 countries and regions.

Its businesses such as chemical fertilizer, China-Africa groceries, wood products and cruise ships are all in leading positions in ports across China.

The thriving Yantai port, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/chinanews.com]