Mr. Li Shenglin, the Minister of Transport of the People’s Republic of China has visited the Port of Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port.

Whilst at the port Mr Li met with Hutchison Port executives and toured the port’s new Berths 8&9.

Commenting on the visit, Clemence Cheng, Managing Director of Hutchison Port Holdings Central Europe Division, said:

“It is a great honour for us that Mr Li has chosen to visit the Port of Felixstowe. China is the major player in the world’s container trades and the largest source of traffic to and from North Europe. As well as being the largest container port in the UK, Felixstowe is also the largest port for containerised trade with China, and we are pleased that this has been marked with this important visit.”

Commenting during the visit, Mr Li, said:

“The recent opening of the new Berths 8&9 at Felixstowe – the only ones in the UK capable of handling the largest ships on order – will play a vital role in helping to facilitate future trade between our countries. It places Felixstowe firmly within a very small group of ports that will act as major hubs on this most important route Cosco as China’s largest Shipping company, has had a long history of cooperation with Hutchison Ports and was the first Chinese shipping line to call at the Port of Felixstowe. I am glad that Chinese shipping lines, Cosco and China Shipping, are both calling at this port and I wish both Chinese shipping lines and Hutchison will play an increasingly role in Sino-UK trade.”

During his visit Mr Li also went aboard the 10,000TEU Cosco vessel, Cosco Taicang, which was berthed at the port’s Trinity Terminal.

The Port of Felixstowe has daily connections with China and in September opened its new Berths 8&9 which have significantly boosted capacity at the port. The new facilities consolidates the port’s position as the UK’s major gateway for containerised trade and increase the port’s ability to berth the ever-increasing number of ultra-large container ships that ply the world’s major trades.


ENDS

Notes to Editors

For further information, please contact Paul Davey, Head of Corporate Affairs, on Tel No: +44 (0)1394 602063, Fax No: +44 (0)1394 604943 or E-mail daveyps@hpuk.co.uk / www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk

Port of Felixstowe (PFL) is the largest container port in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe. PFL is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group. Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL), is the world’s leading port investor, developer and operator. The HPH network of port operations comprises 52 ports, spanning 26 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australasia. Over the years, HPH has expanded internationally into other logistics, transportation-related and hotel businesses. These include cruise ship terminals, airport and hotel operations, distribution centres, rail services, and ship repair facilities. In 2010, the HPH port network handled a combined throughput of 75 million TEU worldwide.