Jiujiang's oversize cargo terminal starts operation:

An operation licence was granted on 25 March to the oversize cargo terminal in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province. The terminal can accommodate vessels of up to 5,000dwt with a single lift weight of 800 tons, the biggest among all Yangtze ports.

Yangtze throughput continues to slide:

Cargo throughput on the Yangtze trunkline fell by 11.8 per cent to 78m tons in March 2009, while container throughput decreased by 24 per cent to 450,000 teu. Throughput of foreign trade-related cargo fell 17.6 per cent to 9m tons.
Looking at the first quarter as a whole, the fall was not as steep due to a strong performance in January. Cargo throughput fell by 6.2 per cent year-on-year in the first three months to 225m tons, while container throughput fell by 11.4 per cent to 1.34m teu. Throughput for foreign trade-related cargo decreased by 8.8 per cent to 27.24m tons. Officials predict that the falling trend will continue for another two to three months before the effect of increased government spending will be reflected in throughput figures.

Wuhan to issue Rmb3bn infrastructure bonds:

Wuhan has been allocated a quota to issue three-year local government bonds worth Rmb3bn. This is part of a central government plan to allow local governments to issue bonds to finance public spending for the first time. The total quota released by the central government is Rmb200bn.
Provinces can also apply for these quotas. Wuhan was allocated Rmb3bn out of a total of Rmb8.1bn for Hubei province. A number of infrastructure projects including the metro line have applied to issue bonds.

Changzhou waste-burning power plant gets go-ahead:

A project to turn 80 per cent of Changzhou’s daily waste into energy has passed the assessment of experts and started commercial operation. The energy generated through burning the waste is being sold on a daily basis to the East China Power Grid. The Rmb400m project, built on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis with imported equipment, will be able to handle 270,000 tons of waste each year.

Siemens opens first retail outlet in Nanjing:

Siemens opened its first-ever China retail outlet in Nanjing on 25 March, selling domestic electric appliances. The shop will stock Siemens products, both locally-made and imported. There is a green corner for its EcoPlus range to show Siemens’ energy-saving credentials. The Germany-based company plans to open other outlets in Beijing and Shanghai.

Nike to close China plants:

US sportswear giant Nike plans to stop production at three footwear plants in China as part of a global drive to improve supply chain efficiency. The specific locations were not disclosed, although local media reported that one of plants is located in Taicang, Jiangsu province. Nike is the main or sole buyer at all three sites, which fulfil orders to contract.
The company is trying to direct production into fewer factory bases instead of spreading orders over a larger number of plants. In February, Nike said it would cut up to 1,400 jobs, or 4 per cent of its global workforce, to reduce management costs in the deepening recession.

Dongfeng Motor launches national recall:

Wuhan-based Dongfeng Motor Co has begun a national recall of 5,014 sedans due to suspension flaws. The recalled model of the Sunny model was manufactured between 9 February and 30 September2006, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ).
In the report submitted to the GAQSIQ, Dongfeng promised to repair all defective vehicles to eliminate risks. Its franchised Dongfeng Nissan outlets would notify customers of the recall.
China’s Defective Product of Administration Centre, a branch of the GAQSIQ, received 2,933 auto quality complaints in 2008, a year-on-year increase of 37 per cent. The centre’s information office director Wu Yousheng described the total as large and said quality issues had become a major concern for Chinese consumers.
Changan Ford Mazda Automotive Corporation received the most complaints, 386 in total, followed by 242 for Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor and 235 for Chery Automobile.

New bridge opens in Chongqing:

The Changshou Yangtze River Bridge, the first road bridge across the river in Chongqing’s Changshou district, formally opened in March.
The four-lane, 1.2km bridge shortens the journey time between Changshou and Nanan, one of six central districts in Chongqing, to 50 minutes. It will also facilitate the relocation project being undertaken by Chongqing Iron and Steel (Group). The move to Changshou is designed to improve the company’s efficiency, reduce emissions and boost annual output capacity from 3m tons to 8m tons. Completion is scheduled for 2010. Changshou district government plans to develop related industries to support local iron and steel development.

Chongqing Chemical Terminal opens:

Chongqing Chemical Terminal was opened to the public in Changshou district on 26 March. One of the key supporting facilities of the municipality’s chemical industrial parks, the port will serve many enterprises in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
Covering an area of 150,000 sq metres, the first phase project includes a bulk cargo berth, a comprehensive berth and a liquid chemical berth. Annual throughput capacity is 1.98m tons, of which the liquid chemical berth will account for about 1m tons. By 2012, annual total throughput will increase to its maximum of 5m tons.

First international flights for Anhui:

Anhui’s first direct international service started operation on 30 March, according to a provincial government website. The flights connect Hefei and Seoul, South Korea.

Nanjing tunnel reaches new depths:

The construction of the Nanjing Yangtze Tunnel, which began in September 2005, has reached a water depth of 60 metres, a landmark for the world-class tunnel-building technology that China claims to have mastered.
The 5,853-metre-long tunnel is the most challenging engineering project along the Yangtze. So far, 4,038 metres of the tunnel has been completed without any leakage or other technical problems.
There are more than 60 bridges across the Yangtze built or being built. But only two cities have tunnels across the Yangtze: one is in Shanghai and other Wuhan. The Nanjing tunnel, upon completion, will help alleviate traffic jams across the river in Nanjing.
The project is being built by a consortium headed by the China Railway Construction Corp on a BOT basis for 34 years: four years for construction and 30 years of operation and maintenance. The tunnel will have six lanes and a top speed of 80 kph. The total investment is Rmb3.3bn, less than a third of the cost of Nanjing No.4 Bridge.