The Libra vessel, carrying 88,000 metric tons of bauxite from Australia, successfully docked at Dongying Port's new 100,000-ton general berth on Pier 1 on Aug 16. This milestone marks the port's first foreign trade voyage and strengthens its path toward becoming a deep-water hub and a key national energy port.
The 100,000-ton berth, southwest of Pier 1, is part of a 1.39-billion-yuan ($19.35 million) investment that includes a 170,000 square meters storage yard, two 52,000 sq m membrane warehouses, stacker-reclaimers, conveyors, transfer stations, ship loaders, and gantry cranes. The 454-meter-long platform connects to the storage area via three 66-meter trestles and integrates with dedicated rail lines, enabling efficient sea-rail transport of bulk cargo.
The berth, which officially opened after provincial inspection on July 15, serves local and regional enterprises, handling coal, petroleum coke, bauxite, ore, wood chips, and other bulk goods. It has allowed for the opening of new transport routes, optimized railway capacity, lowered logistics costs, and expanded bonded storage and trade of commodities like crude oil and copper concentrate.
Dongying Port has also invested 13.7 billion yuan in 11 major projects, including a 250,000-ton single-point berth, Pier 1 container berth, and dedicated railway lines. Once complete, the port will offer enhanced multimodal transport, stronger logistics support, and greater connectivity, driving growth for Dongying and the broader Yellow River Delta region.
A bird's-eye view of the vessel from Australia as it docks at Dongying Port. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_de6f0be95f98]
