SHANGHAI, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai Airport Group (Company) Ltd., which is listed on the Shanghai bourse, saw its net profit grow nine percent to 1.5 billion yuan (195 million U.S. dollars) in 2006, according to its annual report.

The report said the company's earnings per share stood at 0.785 yuan, and the return on equity was 14.92 percent.

The Pudong International Airport, one of the two airports under the company, registered 231,995 take-offs and landings last year, up 13.14 percent, passenger traffic of 26.6 million, up 13.0 percent, and cargo transported, 2.2 million tons, up 16.78 percent.

According to the report, the main part of the ongoing Pudong airport expansion project is estimated to cost 15 billion yuan (two billion U.S. dollars). Part of the money will be borrowed from banks and raised on markets.