Qingdao Port to Invest 15.7 Billion Yuan in Dongjiakou Port Area

　　'Whether a port is competitive hinges on its container business.' This widely recognized adage in the port industry underscores the core importance of container operations for port development.

　　Against the backdrop of global trade, ports serve as vital hubs connecting domestic and international markets. Their container handling capacity directly impacts cargo transportation efficiency, trade costs and the vitality of regional economies.

　　On the evening of December 19, Qingdao Port issued an announcement, stating that it plans to invest a total of 15.7 billion yuan to launch two major terminal projects in the Dongjiakou Port Area: the Phase I Project of the Eastern Container Terminal in Langya Taiwan Operation Area and the Wandi General Cargo Terminal Project. Both projects are scheduled for completion in 2029 with a four-year construction period.

　　The Phase I Project of the Eastern Container Terminal requires an estimated investment of 9.097 billion yuan. It is located on the northern end of the planned container berth zone along the east coast of Langya Taiwan in the Dongjiakou Port Area, to the south of Berth 7 of the Wandi General Cargo Terminal.

　　The project will build three specialized container berths, including one 70,000-ton berth, one 100,000-ton berth and one 150,000-ton berth. The total length of the terminal shoreline is 1,167 meters, and the sea area occupied by yards covers 125.97 hectares. Its designed annual handling capacity reaches 3.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). Both the terminal and yards will be built to fully automated standards.

　　Funds for the project will come from the company's own capital and self-raised funds. By adding new specialized container terminals and coordinating with the upgrading and renovation of existing terminals in Qianwan Port Area, Qingdao Port aims to boost overall container handling capacity to meet the growing demand for international container transit and cargo transportation for inland hinterlands.

　　The preliminary design of this project was approved back in August this year. It has also been listed as a key waterway project in the National Port and Waterway Layout Plan and China's 14th Five-Year Plan.

　　The Wandi General Cargo Terminal Project involves an estimated investment of 6.615 billion yuan, also funded by the company's own and self-raised capital. Situated along the northern and eastern shorelines of Wandi in Langya Taiwan Operation Area of Dongjiakou Port Area, the project comprises seven general cargo berths with tonnages ranging from 30,000 to 70,000 tons. Four 30,000-ton berths are arranged on the northern shoreline, while two 40,000-ton berths and one 70,000-ton berth are constructed on the eastern shoreline.

　　The terminal has a total shoreline length of 1,668 meters and an onshore area of 109.53 hectares, with a designed annual cargo throughput of 14.33 million tons. As a key support for general bulk and break-bulk cargo operations in Dongjiakou Port Area, this project will optimize the port's operational layout and raise cargo handling capacity. It will take over part of the bulk and break-bulk cargo businesses relocated from Qianwan Port Area and Dagang Port Area, catering to the transportation needs of nearby industries such as grain and oil processing, iron and steel, timber, automobiles and equipment, and providing solid support for the implementation of national strategies.

　　Qingdao Port's decision to launch the two terminal projects in Dongjiakou is no coincidence, but a strategic move in line with national and local development plans.

　　From a macro strategic perspective, according to the Master Plan for Qingdao Port (2035), Dongjiakou is one of the two core port areas prioritized for development. Container business is a key development direction here. In the future, Dongjiakou will grow into Qingdao Port's second-largest container hub after Qianwan Port Area, serving as a vital successor for container transportation.

　　Released in July this year, the Shandong Provincial Port and Waterway Layout Plan (2025–2035) further consolidates Qingdao Port's status as an international hub port. It puts forward a world-class marine port cluster layout featuring 'one main hub and four auxiliary ports', with Qingdao Port as the leader, Yantai Port and Rizhao Port as the two wings, and Weihai Port, Binzhou Port, Dongying Port and Weifang Port as supplements. As the flagship of Shandong's ports, Dongjiakou stands out as a core foothold for Qingdao Port's future business expansion.

　　Building an international shipping center is a long-term priority for Qingdao to elevate its urban status, and has been listed as a key task by the municipal Party committee and government. A special working group, headed by the municipal Party secretary and mayor with the chairman of the municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference as the executive group leader, has been set up to push forward relevant work, reflecting the city's high attention to this initiative.

　　According to the Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index Report (2025) released in July, Qingdao rose from 15th to 13th in the global ranking, surpassing Tokyo and Busan. This marks its first ranking improvement since 2020, keeping it at the forefront among ports in northern China.

　　In accordance with the state-approved overall development pattern of 'One Bay, Two Wings and Six Districts' for Qingdao Port, scaling up the two wings — Qianwan Port and Dongjiakou Port — has become an irresistible trend, making the launch of new projects imperative.

　　Strong operational performance also underpins Qingdao Port's large-scale investment. In the first three quarters of 2025, the port posted operating revenue of approximately 14.238 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 1.86%, and net profit attributable to listed shareholders reached about 4.18 billion yuan, up 6.33% year on year.

　　In terms of throughput, Qingdao Port and its affiliates, joint ventures and associated companies handled a total of 545.75 million tons of cargo in the first three quarters of 2025, a year-on-year growth of 2.4%. The container throughput hit 25.84 million TEUs, rising by 7.1% year on year.

　　Meanwhile, supporting facilities in Dongjiakou are being advanced in tandem. For railway transportation, the first tunnel of the Weifang-Suqian High-speed Railway connecting line to Qingdao has been completed. Preliminary work is accelerating for the Dongjiakou-Wulian Railway and the capacity expansion project of the northern shore railway in Qianwan Port Area.

　　In terms of road transportation, the reconstruction and expansion project of the Shenhai Expressway from Nancun to the Qingdao-Rizhao boundary is in full swing, targeting the completion of a two-way eight-lane road by the end of the year. The improvement of supporting facilities will further boost transportation efficiency, cut logistics costs and enhance the comprehensive competitiveness of Dongjiakou Port Area.