A view of Ningbo Zhoushan Port in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group Co Ltd, the operator of the Ningbo Zhoushan Port, the world's largest port by cargo throughput, was recently nominated as a candidate for the fourth China Quality Award (CQA).

A total of nine organizations and one individual were nominated.

This is the first time a company or individual from East China's Zhejiang province has made the candidate list since the establishment of the award in 2012.

The CQA, which is conferred by the State Administration for Market Regulation every two years, is the highest honor in the field of quality management in China.

Since 2012, a total of 19 organizations and three individuals, including some well-known enterprises such as CASC, Haier, Huawei and Gree, have been awarded the CQA.

Official data show that the Ningbo Zhoushan Port handled more than 1.17 billion metric tons of cargo in 2020, up more than 4 percent year-on-year and topping the global rankings for the 12th straight year.

The port's container throughput reached 28.72 million TEUs last year, up over 4 percent year-on-year and ranking third globally.