Ship Exports Jump

GUANGDONG Province sold 42,000 vessels abroad in the first quarter of this year, a growth of 230 percent on the same period last year, local customs said yesterday.

The exports were valued at US$410 million, up 7.2 percent.

Of the total export value, 49.1 percent, or US$200 million, were recorded by foreign-funded companies, up 14.2 percent, and US$160 million, or 39.4 percent, by state-owned enterprises, down 8.8 percent.

Private businesses saw ship exports grow by a rapid 65 percent in the three-month period, the local customs noted.