At a time that its port is suffering unprecedented congestion brought on by extreme demand and a local outbreak of Covid-19, Hutchinson Ports has announced a big expansion at Yantian, the Hong Kong company’s first overseas terminal.

Hutchison will develop a new terminal on the eastern side of the Yantian International Container Terminals in Shenzhen. Yantian East International Container Terminals will be spread across 120 ha and will feature 1,470 m of quayside.

A Covid-19 outbreak around Yantian Port late last month has seen boxships weigh anchor in the South China Sea and others switch port calls.

Yantian – located to the east of Shenzhen – was Hutchison’s first terminal to open outside of Hong Kong back in 1994. The port handled 13.34m teu last year.