Officials in Brazil’s Bahia state have approved a plan to expand the Port of Salvador, Chinese state-run broadcaster CNC World reports.

The 24-hour news channel and Xinhua affiliate says dredging will increase the depth of the port by 3 metres to 15 metres, allowing bigger ships to birth and facilitating a direct route to China.

One-third of trade, about 60,000 cargo containers, moved between Salvador and the Mainland last year, says port manager Tecon Salvador SA.

The handling capacity of the port is also likely to double, port officials were quoted as saying.