EAST China's Lianyungang port has commenced the first phase construction of a 300,000-tonne deepwater channel, reports Xinhua.

The channel will link Lianyungang port area to Xuwei port area and enhance these two area's capacity, becoming a main shipping lane connecting sea-land transport.

The channel is 400 metres wide and 26.2 meters deep. It will be completed in three years at a cost of CNY7.9 billion (US$1.2 billion).