Caofei Dian Harbor District in Tangshan has received approval to open to the public during a meeting held in Tangshan on July 10, Xinhua reported July 12.

The approval came from the acceptance group composed of the customs head office (National port management office), bureau of public security, Ministry of Transport, State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the Headquarters of the General Staff.

Caofei Dian Harbor District began construction work in 2003 and was put into trial operation in 2005. Since the first time it welcomed a freighter, the harbor’s freight handling capacity has increased by 73.8 per cent each year and reached up to 175 million tons in 2011, which made the it a rapid-developing harbor in China.

By June, Caofei Dian had 24 berths of different kinds and a freight handling capacity of 190 million tons each year, adding up to 520 million tons, of which over 320 million tons belonged to foreign trade freights. The harbor opened another 9 berth, including a crude oil wharf, the first and second stages of a common use wharf project, and the second stage of an ore wharf project.