Xiamen Port in East China's Fujian province ranks 14th in the world in container throughput in 2019. [Photo/VCG]

The container throughput at Xiamen Port in East China's Fujian province exceeded 11 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in 2019, up 3.92 percent year-on-year, ranking 14th globally.

According to statistics from local customs, the cruise passenger throughput of the port reached 413,700 last year, growing by 27.38 percent year-on-year and ranking 4th in China.

Over the past several years, the coastal city of Xiamen has made significant efforts to boost the development of its port business, and Fujian province has approved a plan to construct an international shipping center and cruise home port in Xiamen, both of which have provided fresh impetus to the integrated development of the city and the port, according to local authorities.

Additionally, the city has rolled out measures to comprehensively deepen reforms and improve its governance system. Its port business environment ranked first in China in 2019.

Xiamen Port completed more than 2 billion yuan ($286.86 million) in investment in water transportation fixed assets in 2019. The capacity of Xiamen and Zhangzhou ports was greatly improved, and received a total of 1,221 ships with a tonnage exceeding 150,000 metric tons last year.

Special funds worth more than 500 million yuan were allocated to ship enterprises, which helped reduce operating costs for enterprises by 136 million yuan.

In addition, a smart logistics platform for containers was introduced to Xiamen Port in 2017. The platform has been successful in increasing the port's efficiency and has saved enterprises around 100 million yuan per year.

Positioned as an important part of the national integrated transport system, Xiamen Port will further strengthen supply-side structural reforms and improve its business environment. It is expected to handle 11.45 million containers this year.