Shanghai Daily news

Shanghai has earmarked three waterway entrances at the Expo site for ferry traffic on the Huangpu River for visitors and exhibitors at World Expo 2010 Shanghai and which will be the foundation for future tourism development along the river.

The city will accelerate the building of the waterway entrances this year in line with the whole re-arrangement of docks along the Huangpu River, according to local officials.

Shanghai port administrators said the city plans to refurbish existing passenger docks at Lujiazui, Shiliupu and along the Northern Bund, Wujing, Wusong, Dongchang Road, Qichangzhan and Ningguo Road.

Sixty ferries will run between these ports and the three waterway entrances at the Expo site by the time the Expo opens.

They will carry between five and 10 percent of the total visitor volume at the Expo, according to the Shanghai Port Administrative Bureau.

"We are preparing to ease the transport pressure brought about by the large number of Expo visitors from home and abroad at that time," said Chen Xiuping, the bureau's shipping management division director.

Bureau officials are in talks with the maritime authority in a bid to design better routes and ensure all ferries can arrive at the Expo site within one hour.

The renovation is scheduled to be completed by 2009.