The handling capacity of Chinese ports will grow 18 percent to 5.5 billion tons by the end of this year, said Minister of Communications Xu Zuyuan.

These ports are expected to handle 94 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) this year, up 24 percent over 2005, said the minister.

By the end of 2006, the minister said, China will have invested 60 billion Yuan in building 166 new port projects. With completion of these projects, the country's seaports handling capacity will be increased by 548 million tons to reach 3.44 billion tons.

Investment in inland river ports will reach 22 billion Yuan, which were used to build 165 new berths with an additional handling capacity of 19.5 million tons, Xu said.