Inland water transportation has the advantages of large capacity, small land occupation, and low-energy consumption. It plays a crucial role in bolstering economic development, optimizing the industrial layout, and serving opening up to the outside world.

Recently, the Shandong Provincial Department of Transportation has drafted the Three-year Action Plan for Accelerating the High-quality Development of Inland Water Transportation in Shandong Province (2023-25) and Several Policies to Support the High-quality Development of Inland Water Transportation.

Recent policies have been introduced to delineate development objectives for the upcoming three years. These objectives comprise of accelerating the formation of a modern inland water transportation system that is intensive, productive, secure, expedient, smart, and eco-friendly. Furthermore, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (the section south of the Yellow River in Shandong) is scheduled to be transformed into a golden waterway that links southwestern Shandong with the Yangtze River Delta region. 

The Xiaoqing River is expected to also be employed as a new land-sea passage, forging a link between the provincial capital with the central area while connecting water and land transport. These initiatives are set to offer robust support for enhancing the competitiveness of cities along the river.

By 2025, Shandong will significantly improve the infrastructure of inland water transportation and highlight its role in boosting regional economic and social development. The annual cargo throughput of ports in the province is expected to double from that in 2022, exceeding 160 million tons, and the container throughput will double continuously, reaching 500,000 standard containers.