Study the table below that shows the throughput of containers via major Chinese ports for the period 2013 to 2015. The figures for TEU are shown in million s of TEU, e.g., the Dalian figures represent 9.301 million TEU, 10.128 million TEU and 9.912 million TEU. The map of China will show the position of most of these ports.
Now answer the questions set below.
| Port | Share % | + or -2015/2014 % | 2015 TEU | 2014 TEU | 2013 TEU |
| Dalian | 5 | -8 | 9,301 | 10,128 | 9,912 |
| Dandong | 1 | 9 | 1,830 | 1,672 | 1,560 |
| Dongguan | 2 | 19 | 3,363 | 2,836 | 1,893 |
| Fuzhou | 1 | 23 | 2,430 | 1,978 | 1,977 |
| Guangzhou | 9 | 9 | 17,570 | 16,160 | 15,309 |
| Haikou | 1 | -6 | 1,266 | 1,347 | 1,224 |
| Lianyungang | 3 | 0 | 5,009 | 5,005 | 5,488 |
| Nanjing | 2 | 6 | 2,920 | 2,760 | 2,670 |
| Ningbo | 11 | 6 | 20,626 | 19,450 | 17,327 |
| Qingdao | 9 | 5 | 17,505 | 16,624 | 15,520 |
| Quanzhou | 1 | 6 | 2,000 | 1,885 | 1,706 |
| Rizhao | 1 | 16 | 2,810 | 2,420 | 2,027 |
| Shanghai | 19 | 4 | 36,540 | 35,285 | 33,617 |
| Shantou | 1 | -10 | 1,075 | 1,199 | 1,128 |
| Shenzhen | 12 | 1 | 24,204 | 24,037 | 23,278 |
| Suzhou | 3 | 18 | 5,238 | 4,450 | 5,340 |
| Tangshan | 1 | 37 | 1,519 | 1,109 | 728 |
| Tianjin | 7 | 3 | 14,500 | 14,050 | 13,001 |
| Xiamen | 5 | 7 | 9,183 | 8,572 | 8,008 |
| Yantai | 1 | 4 | 2,452 | 2,361 | 2,150 |
| Yingkou | 3 | 3 | 5,922 | 5,768 | 5,301 |
| Zhuhai | 1 | 3 | 1,210 | 1,177 | 881 |
| Total | 139 | 5 | 194,559 | 185,904 | 175,188 |
- Which of the ports is the most northerly in China?
- Which Chinese port is the leading container port in terms of container throughput?
- How many ports have shown growth in throughput from 2014?
- How many ports have shown a decline (-) in throughput from 2014?
- Which port has shown the greatest growth in throughput from 2014?
- Which port has shown the greatest decline (-) in throughput from 2014?
- Based on the figures given, near which port is most Chinese industry located? Explain your answer to this question.
- Does the overall trend in container throughput reflect a positive situation for ship operators who have services to China? Explain your answer to this question.
Bucket dredgers busy deepening the channel at the port of Nansha, China. This will allow larger containerships to berth. Photograph : Captain C. Kingon
Nansha Container Terminal. Photograph : Captain C. Kingon
Part of Shanghai Container Terminal with four kilometres of wharf and 60 container gantries. Photograph : Captain C. Kingon
Xiamen Container Terminal. Photograph : Captain C. Kingon
Part of the container terminal at Xiamen. Photograph : Captain C. Kingon