Two of China's largest shipping companies are planning to increase their terminal capacity in Italy.

China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO) and China Shipping (Group) Limited will be expanding their businesses in the ports of Napels and Genoa , news reports said.

The Chinese shippers also plan to build docks in ports along the Adriatic coast.

COSCO will set up a dock for smelted metal products in the port of Ravenna. It also plans to build a container dock at Napels with an annual capacity of 350,000 containers through a venture with the Italina company Fratelli Cosulich SpA.

Meanwhile, COSCO is in partnership with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) to construct the $313 million Levante Dock in Napels.

COSCO will move from its current Conatec dock to the Levante dock when it is completed. China Shipping will then take over the management and operation of Conatec dock.