HONG KONG's Modern Terminals Limited, opened the first purpose-built container terminal in Hong Kong in 1972, has welcomed the arrival of its 100 millionth TEU, the company announced.

"One hundred million TEU, if placed end-to-end, would stretch over 600,000 kilometres or 15 times around the Earth," said a company statement.

"We reached the 30 million TEU milestone in 1999, 27 years after we began handling containers in Hong Kong. Now, only 15 years later, we have achieved another landmark as we top the 100 million TEU mark," said Modern Terminals CEO Sean Kelly.

"Everyone working at MTL has contributed to this milestone. This is a day of celebration for both our staff and our customers," he said amid the throng of customers, employees and dockers gathered to mark the occasion.

Today, the company owns and operates container terminals at Kwai Tsing Container Port, Hong Kong, and operates and has a majority shareholding in Da Chan Bay Terminal One in the Pearl River Delta and Taicang International Gateway in the Yangtze River Delta.

MTL also holds equity stakes in Shekou Container Terminals and Chiwan Container Terminal in the Pearl River Delta.