Cargo growth

NINGBO Zhoushan port, China’s busiest port, saw cargo throughput rise 5.5 percent year on year to 557.96 million tons in the first half of 2019.

Meanwhile, the container throughput at the port in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province reached 13.91 million standard containers in the January-June period, up 4.7 percent year on year, according to statistics from the Ministry of Transport. The container throughput ranked second in the country only after the Shanghai port.

Autonomous vehicles

CHINA’S Neolix has signed a preliminary agreement with Middle East e-commerce company Noon to trial autonomous vehicles in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Neolix will build driverless vehicles customized to the region’s weather conditions, where temperatures can soar above 50 degrees Celsius in the summer, Noon said in a statement late Tuesday.

Luckin expansion

LUCKIN Coffee continues to expand at jaw-dropping speed as it announced plans to open shop overseas for the first time. The Starbucks challenger from China has signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a joint venture with Americana Group, a major international food group.

The deal will see Luckin launch a new retail coffee business in the Middle East region and India, said the company which in May took public its 18-month-old business. Its partner has a far longer track record.

Dubai developer

THE developer of the world’s tallest tower in Dubai will venture out to China as property demand falters at home.

Emaar Properties PJSC, the United Arab Emirates’ largest publicly traded developer, will partner with Beijing Daxing International Airport to develop an US$11 billion project in China.