SHANGHAI, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai port maintained the top position in the world in terms of container throughput in 2019, according to Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong on Wednesday.
The container throughput of Shanghai port totaled 43.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units last year, ranking the first in the world for 10 consecutive years, Ying said when delivering his government work report at the ongoing annual session of the municipal people's congress.
"Shanghai will serve as a crucial port for international container transportation and an aviation hub in the Asia Pacific region," said Ying, noting that shipping freight index futures will be launched this year to facilitate the establishment of a modern shipping service system.
The city aims to build itself into an international shipping center capable of allocating global shipping resources in 2020.
Efforts will be made to speed up the development of smart and green ports, facilitate sea-rail intermodal transportation and waterway transshipment, as well as build up an entire industrial chain of the cruise economy, the mayor said.