Container traffic up almost 13 percent at Singapore port

Singapore: Container traffic through Singapore's port, one of the world's busiest, rose almost 13 percent to 27.9m teu last year, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said Thursday.
Container traffic was up from 24.8 million teu handled in 2006. Total cargo tonnage handled climbed 7.8 percent last year to reach 483.4 million tonnes (532 million tons).
"With the good port performance, Singapore looks set to maintain its lead as the world's busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage, the world's top bunkering port and major container transhipment hub," the authority said in a press release.
Bunker volume reached 31.5 million tonnes, up from 28.4 million in 2006.
Singapore is set to spend US$1.4 billion to increase its port's annual capacity by about 40 percent.
More than 200 people attended a New Year's bash given by the Singapore Maritime Foundation last night where the official port statistics were released by guest of honour, transport minister Raymond Lim.  [11/01/08]