Jining Aims for Trillion-Yuan Economy in Five Years, Backed by Its Billion-Ton Port

Jining, one of three cities in Shandong Province explicitly named in the latest provincial "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal to target a trillion-yuan GDP, is leveraging its booming port economy as a key driver for growth.

Transport Ministry data shows Jining Port handled 106 million tons of cargo from January to November, marking an 18.5% year-on-year increase. This milestone makes it northern China's first inland river port to exceed 100 million tons, officially joining the ranks of China's billion-ton ports. The strategic utilization of this throughput capacity is now central to discussions about Jining's path toward becoming a trillion-yuan economy.

**Building Northern China's Inland Shipping Hub** With a 2024 GDP of 586.7 billion yuan (5.8% growth), Jining faces significant pressure to reach its five-year target. Traditional growth models are insufficient; instead, the city is capitalizing on its unique advantages.

In July 2024, Shandong unveiled its 2025–2035 Port and Waterway Layout Plan, designating Jining Port as the core of a "one core, four auxiliaries, multiple nodes" inland port cluster. The plan prioritizes the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal as a "backbone waterway," cementing Jining's role as northern China's inland shipping center. This positioning reflects Shandong's urgency to cultivate new economic growth poles.

**Super-Connections with Shanghai Port** The rise of inland shipping aligns with China's dual-circulation strategy. As a low-cost, large-scale transport mode, it facilitates massive economic flows. Jining's billion-ton port status not only generates substantial throughput but also enhances its logistical枢纽性.

Through the Grand Canal, Jining has established critical links with the Yangtze River Delta, the Yangtze Economic Belt, and Shanghai Port—the world's top container port. At a 2023 forum, Chen Wei of SIPG Multimodal Transport (Shanghai) revealed that Shanghai Port's 51 million TEUs in 2024 included 1.84 million TEUs from inland feeders, accounting for 42% of new growth since 2022. Inland multimodal transport is now a key growth driver for Shanghai Port, with cost savings of 30%–40% for manufacturers in cities like Wuhu and Suzhou.

This efficiency boost underpins Jining Port's rapid expansion: cargo throughput surged from 58.4 million tons (2022) to 95 million tons (2024).

**Sailing Beyond Borders** Jining is transforming its port-driven流量 into an economic flywheel, planning eight industrial clusters spanning shipping, logistics, trade, and finance—many extending from its traditional coal and steel transport base.

Among emerging sectors, container shipping and new-energy shipbuilding stand out. CATL has invested in Jining's new-energy vessel manufacturing base, which delivered its first batch of smart ships in August 2024. By year-end, Jining Energy Group's subsidiary New Energy Shipbuilding (New Energy Shipbuilding) secured a $10M+ order from ZIJIN GOLD INTL for four 2,000DWT bulk carriers bound for Tanzania—marking its maiden overseas project.

In November 2025, these vessels were launched in Tanzania using a "modular construction + overseas assembly" model. New Energy Shipbuilding has since established a local office there, signaling long-term ambitions in Africa. ZIJIN GOLD INTL's August 2025 acquisition of Tanzanian port concessions further integrates this supply chain, with modern bulk carriers (set for 2026 delivery) hailed as milestones for Tanzania's manufacturing upgrade.

**Global Recognition for Green Ship Tech** On June 10, 2025, New Energy Shipbuilding began constructing a 3,500-ton pure-electric container ship for CMA CGM, equipped with CATL batteries. Slated for 2026 deployment on Vietnam's Binh Duong–Cai Mep green route, it will handle 50,000+ TEUs annually. A CMA CGM executive noted this reflects market confidence in Chinese inland new-energy vessel technology.

Embedding into global supply chains—from CMA CGM's Asian green fleet to ZIJIN GOLD INTL's African operations—Jining is forging超强链接. At a November 2025 signing ceremony, New Energy Shipbuilding inked contracts for 15 standardized vessels (50 LOIs), totaling over 100 million yuan.

Shandong's machinery industry data for 2024 highlights this momentum: shipbuilding orders rose 91.6%, with new-energy vessels comprising 67.2%. Exports hit 30.8 billion yuan, 97.5% being container ships, with Belt and Road markets (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Southeast Asia) driving 45% growth.

While Qingdao-Yantai-Weihai dominates offshore engineering, Jining's standardized new-energy shipbuilding base—integrating design, construction, and services—has emerged as a rising force. Transport Ministry data (Jan–Oct 2025) confirms Jining Port's lead among northern inland ports (96.3 million tons vs. Xuzhou's 57.2 million).

This market-driven success underscores Jining's trillion-yuan blueprint: deeper integration into global supply chains and domestic infrastructure will accelerate its ascent.