The construction of the Xuwen Port project in Zhanjiang is on track to be completed sometime in December, according to local port officials.

Xuwen Port is located at the heart of the transportation channel that connects the Qiongzhou Strait and will serve as a hub for linking Guangdong and Hainan provinces, they added.

With a total investment of 1.71 billion yuan ($242.56 million), the port is designed to have an annual handling capacity of 3.2 million vehicles and 17.28 million passengers.

Sixteen 5,000-ton ordinary passenger and cargo ro-ro berths – as well as one 5,000-ton ro-ro berth especially for dangerous products – will be established at the port area, along with jetties, channels, inspection stations for dangerous products, parking lots and a comprehensive service area.

After competition, the port will be the world's largest passenger ferry terminal and the shipping time across the Qiongzhou Strait will be shortened from 2-3 hours to an hour or so.

The Xuwen Port project was officially started on Jan 1, 2017. By Nov 26, the project had invested a total of 1.68 billion yuan, accounting for 98 percent of the total intended investment.

Officials said the hydraulic works have basically been completed, with the harbor basin and the channel dredging having passed acceptance. The Xuwen Port Comprehensive Transportation Hub Building has finished the steel works and the glass curtain wall.

About 91 percent of the functional modules for the smart port software system have been developed. It is planned to complete their development and debugging by the end of December.

In addition, work on fire-fighting systems, water supply and drainage and green areas are under way, which are expected to be completed by the end of December.

The outer wall of the Comprehensive Transportation Hub Building in Nanshan work zone in Xuwen Port is completed on Dec 3. [Photo by Zhang Fengfeng/gdzjdaily.com.cn]