Guangzhou will host the 31st IAPH World Ports Conference (2019), it was announced by Santiago Garcia Mila, president of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), on May 12.

The Guangdong capital is the second Chinese city (after Shanghai) to host the prestigious event, dubbed the "Olympics" of the global ports and harbors industry.

A Guangzhou representative receives the IAPH flag from a representative from Bali, Indonesia, the previous host city, on May 12. [Photo/gd.people.cn]

Hundreds of scholars and representatives from all over the world are expected to attend the event to share experiences and discuss issues faced by port officials globally such as green ports and port technology and development.

"Guangzhou is a great city and has achieved rapid growth in last two decades," Santiago said. "It's no surprise that Guangzhou is selected as the host city of the next IAPH World Ports Conference."

With a rich history of over 2,230 years, Guangzhou's location in the Pearl River Delta has long secured the city's position as the leading shipping port of the Chinese mainland.

Containers await shipping at Guangzhou's Nansha Port. [Photo/southcn.com]

Guangzhou Port has served as an important economic and transport center for the Pearl River Delta region and Guangdong province, dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911).

The seaward channel of Guangzhou Port is one of busiest waterways in the world. The port experienced positive growth last year, with cargo and containers ranked at sixth and seventh in the world respectively.