Containers are unloaded at Qingdao Port in Shandong province in March. [Photo by Yu Fangping/For China Daily] 

Shandong province released a three-year action plan (2023-25) on Aug 8 to accelerate the construction of several world-class port clusters with core competitiveness and international influence.

The plan emphasizes that Shandong should build a development pattern centered around Qingdao Port. This will ideally be supported by surrounding transportation hubs such as Rizhao, Yantai, Weihai and Weifang ports, in order to drive the high-quality development of the Yellow River basin and boost the dual-circulation development paradigm.

By 2025, the cargo throughput of Shandong ports is set to surpass 2 billion metric tons with the container throughput reaching 40 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

World-class port clusters

Under the plan, Shandong will upgrade its berths for containers, bulk cargo, crude oil, and liquified natural gas (LNG). It will also renovate storage yards and tank areas and build new port waterways, anchorages and breakwaters.

Furthermore, the province will optimize port services such as building major hubs for international containers and roll-on/roll-off passengers in Northeast Asia, and construct distribution centers for international bulk cargo transshipment, oil and Chinese grains.

In addition to this, it will strengthen the connection between ports and the hinterland, and upgrade a batch of port highways, railways, pipelines, and conveyor corridors.

Sea-rail intermodal transport

The plan stressed that the scale of container transshipment should be expanded with the establishment of five major shipping routes to Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, India, Pakistan, Europe and the Americas.

By 2025, the total number of foreign trade routes in Shandong is expected to reach 278, and the volume of container transshipment will exceed 7.4 million TEUs. The number of inland ports will reach 50, and there will be over 10,000 China-Europe freight trains in operation.

Modern services

The plan encourages financial enterprises to set up institutions in Shandong's port cities and launch new businesses such as in the field of maritime insurance.

It aims to support the development of such fields as port operations, industrial investment, construction and development, logistics trade, maritime transport, cruise tourism, high-end equipment, and healthcare.

By 2025, the trading volume of the bulk commodity platform in Qingdao will reach 500 billion yuan, with eight overseas warehouses, two domestic distribution centers, and 10 distribution bases. The total shipping capacity is set to exceed 20 million deadweight tons, with a fleet size of over 200 vessels.

Industrial clusters

The plan states that Shandong should build port-oriented industrial parks and accelerate the construction of industrial clusters. It also encourages the province to cooperate with surrounding ports in sectors such as container transfer, port tax refund, and roll-on/roll-off passenger transportation.

Shandong will moreover bolster the integration of ports and the cruise industry, and boost the development of cruise fleets, duty-free shops, and shopping malls.

Favorable policies

Shandong will also deepen its reforms in port and shipping areas, build an intelligent and efficient digital government, and explore new business formats such as international ship registration and the opening-up of international air rights in the China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone.