Shekou Port was built in 1979 by China Merchants Hldgs Co Ltd, in the course of its investment in and construction of Shekou Industrial Zone. In 1981, Shekou Port became an open port and Shekou Harbour Service Co was founded. In 1990, the Company was reorganised as China Merchants Shekou Port Service Co, with 75 percent of its equity held by Shekou Industrial Zone and 25 percent held by Hongkong China Merchants Godown, Wharf and Transportation Co Ltd. In 1993, the Company was incorporated its shares were listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. It became the first public company in China to have a secondary listing in Singapore in 1995. It changed to its present name on 22 August 2000. During the period from 1998 to 2001, the Company exchanged its self-owned assets such as ports etc, with the equity of Shenzhen China Merchants Real Estate Co Ltd, Shenzhen China Merchants Power Supply Co Ltd, Shenzhen China Merchants Water Supply held by Shekou Industrial Zone, gradually increased the holding of the equity of the said three companies and made use of the partial proceeds raised through additional issuance to purchase the equity of Shenzhen China Merchants Petrochemicals Co Ltd. By the end of 2001, the Company had completed the stripping of the relevant assets of the ports. The Company was mainly engaged in the development and operation of energy, basic facilities and real estate. In 2003, the Company decided to peel off the business of petrochemical distribution and centralize the resources to expand the real estate business. It passed relevant proposals on selling equity of Shenzhen China Merchants Petrochemicals Co Ltd. The Company shall form the business structure with rapidly growing real estate development and housing lease and power and water supply in the Zone with stable earnings capability as the main body.