Qingdao Port of Shandong Port Group. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Shandong province, an economic power in East China, vows to accelerate efforts to build a world-class port cluster within the province as a way to promote its high-quality development and enhance its opening-up process, officials said on Aug 18.

"Currently, a coastal port cluster has formed in Shandong, with Qingdao Port as the leader and Rizhao Port and Yantai Port as the backbone. Weihai Port, Dongying Port, Weifang Port, Binzhou Port, and other ports are developing in a coordinated manner," said Fan Bo, vice-governor of Shandong at a news brief held in the province's coastal city Qingdao, where the Shandong Port Group is headquartered.

"Such development pattern laid solid foundation to build a world-class port cluster," Fan added.

In 2019, Shandong province established the massive Shandong Port Group, integrating the major ports in the province, including Qingdao Port, Yantai Port and Rizhao Port.

In 2022, Shandong Port Group registered its cargo handling capacity as more than 1.6 billion metric tons. Its container handling capacity exceeded 37 million twenty-foot equivalent units, according to official data.

At the end of July, Shandong provincial government issued a three-year action plan to build a world-class port cluster.

According to the action plan, the cargo handling capacity of the Shandong Port Group is expected to reach 2 billion tons and its container handling capacity will exceed 40 million twenty-foot equivalent units.

"The transformation into a world-class port cluster will not only optimize the operational dynamics and spatial layout of all ports across the province, but will also amplify their service capacity and global connectivity," the vice-governor commented.

Shandong ports will also be leveraged as a hub to build a fast and convenient land-ocean passage along the Yellow River to promote growth in the province's cities, he added.

The total added economic value produced and triggered by the Shandong port cluster is expected to reach 1.3 trillion yuan ($177 billion) by 2025, said Huo Gaoyuan, chairman of the Shandong Port Group.