As an engineering project, Shanghai’s new Yangshan port has already won plaudits. Situated on a group of small islands just off the mainland, the port is reached by a 32km bridge that took only three years to construct and is one of the longest sea-crossing bridges in the world.

The business case for the port is less assured, however. Three weeks after it officially opened, the deep-water container facility faces tough questions about convenience, cost and future expansion.