The scene of massive vessels docking and shipping routes crisscrossing marks a hub connecting to the globe. The handling of cargo and logistics distribution form the vital arteries of economic circulation. The flow of data and intelligent scheduling set a benchmark for digital and smart transformation. Clean energy and carbon reduction paint a picture of green development... In recent years, Shandong Port has been deeply advancing its transformation from digitalization to intelligentization, from a single port operator to a comprehensive port service provider, and from traditional industries towards green, high-end, and integrated development. By enhancing its hub capacity, improving service quality, and deepening its intelligent capabilities, it actively integrates into and serves the national and provincial development strategy. Through steady, solid, and diligent efforts, it resolutely translates the vision of "building a world-class ocean port cluster" into concrete actions, turning blueprints into reality and aspirations into tangible achievements.
Building a Strong Port Foundation with Enhanced Hub Capacity
On May 21st, at the automated terminal of Shandong Port Qingdao Port, the 259-meter-long vessel "Bin Chun" set sail for important US ports like Los Angeles and Oakland, loaded with 1,643 TEUs of export goods such as towels, storage boxes, and plastic tableware. This marked the official opening and commencement of regular operations for the new West America route from Shandong Port Qingdao Port. This is the 13th international route and the 2nd US route opened by Qingdao Port this year. In recent years, Shandong Port has consistently prioritized route expansion as a core measure to enhance global competitiveness, promoting the coordinated development of deep-sea trunk lines, regional routes, and domestic routes, continuously increasing route density and coverage. To date, Shandong Port operates over 370 container routes and more than 80 breakbulk cargo routes, connecting to over 700 ports in more than 180 countries and regions worldwide, achieving precise coverage of Belt and Road Initiative partner countries, RCEP regions, and emerging markets. This extensive global route network facilitates the international logistics channels for "Made in China" exports. "Relying on the liner routes from Shandong Port Yantai Port to over 20 African countries and regions, our mining machinery achieves weekly regular shipments, with 3-5 complete sets of equipment and 2-3 containers of supporting parts dispatched monthly, reaching major African ports in as fast as over 20 days, reducing海运 costs by approximately 5%-10%," said Cui Ke, Deputy General Manager of Yantai Xingye Machinery Co., Ltd.
In addition to actively expanding routes, Shandong Port continuously advances the enhancement of port infrastructure capacity, a key initiative for accelerating the construction of a world-class ocean port cluster. Over the past two years, focusing on four dimensions—berth capacity, terminal functionality, throughput capability, and storage facilities—Shandong Port has implemented a series of landmark projects. These include the second 400,000-ton ore terminal at Qingdao Port's Dongjiakou Port Area, the Rizhao Port shore-based open automated container terminal, and the upgrade of liquid bulk and container berths at Yantai Port. These efforts have resulted in the construction of the largest, most structurally optimal, and most capable modern deep-water berth cluster in the country, with infrastructure levels firmly ranking among the global forefront. The continuous strengthening of hub capacity has driven comprehensive leaps in port scale and structure. Shandong Port's cargo throughput climbed from 1.8 billion tons in 2024 to 1.96 billion tons in 2025, while container throughput rose from 44.77 million TEU to 48.53 million TEU, exceeding targets set in the 14th Five-Year Plan. Qingdao Port, Rizhao Port, and Yantai Port have advanced in global rankings, with cargo throughput ranking 4th, 6th, and 10th respectively among global coastal ports, while Bohai Bay Port's cargo throughput has steadily increased.
Forging Core Advantages with Superior Service Quality
Recently, a batch of containers just unloaded from a sea-rail intermodal train were systematically gathered at the Phase III Qianwan Terminal of Shandong Port Qingdao Port. These containers arrived directly from Jinan via railway to Qingdao Port and will soon board a COSCO SHIPPING Africa-bound liner destined for Tanzania. "Previously, Sinotruk transported export parts to the terminal via road, with the port only providing loading/unloading and storage services. Now, we have set up warehouses right at Sinotruk's doorstep," introduced Liu Jianfeng, head of the vehicle logistics business at Shandong Port Logistics Group. Shandong Port established a warehouse exceeding 60,000 square meters in Jinan's Dongjiazhen specifically for Sinotruk, offering services like dismantling, storage, and shipping bookings, while also customizing export logistics solutions for the enterprise. This not only reduces overall logistics costs but also significantly improves shipment efficiency. Producer services are a key force driving economic growth and industrial upgrading. Today, Shandong Port's comprehensive service "portfolio" is extensive and diverse. In logistics, 56 inland ports and 109 sea-rail intermodal train lines penetrate the hinterland and connect rivers and seas, offering over 80 professional services across ten major categories including ship agency and inspection/quarantine. In finance, it holds or manages 15 types of financial licenses or qualifications and 30 controlled financial entities. In shipping, it operates over 70 vessels of various types with a total deadweight tonnage of 1.1 million... Within this service "portfolio," customers can choose either full-chain, one-stop services or modular, embedded services as needed, achieving better cost efficiency and higher operational effectiveness.
Last winter, a key heating enterprise in Linyi faced funding difficulties due to an emergency coal purchase increase prompted by a cold wave. Shandong Port's microfinance company proactively engaged, providing a special supply-guarantee loan of 44 million yuan based on an integrated model of "supply chain bills + pledged loans." "We also provided配套 logistics transportation for the coal supplier to ensure stable and smooth trade processes, which also supported incremental cargo for the port," said Xu Lanlan, General Manager of the Supply Chain Finance Division at Shandong Port Investment Holding Group. "The supply chain service brand has become a shining 'strategic名片' for Shandong Port. Supply chain business significantly promotes the sustainable development of traditional port operations and the high-quality development of emerging businesses," commented Huang Youfang, former President of Shanghai Maritime University.
Advancing Innovation and Transformation with Deeper Intelligent Capabilities
No personnel are seen on the terminal; intelligent bridge cranes automatically grab containers; hydrogen-powered container trucks move smoothly; 5G signals cover the entire area; photovoltaic panels gleam under the sun; dust is securely contained within fully enclosed conveyors—what was once a bustling operational area has now transformed into a tech-savvy, green, and intelligent harbor. In recent years, Shandong Port has consistently regarded intelligence and green development as the core engines for building a world-class ocean port cluster. Breaking away from traditional port development models, it focuses on automation and intelligent upgrades, driving innovation across the entire port operation process, and charting a path of high-quality development characterized by independent innovation and low-carbon transition, accelerating the transformation from a "sweat port" to a "smart port" and "green port."
At Qingdao Port, the fully domestically developed and independently built Phase III automated terminal has been completed and put into operation, completely breaking foreign technological monopolies. The independently developed A-TOS intelligent control system has reached internationally leading levels, achieving fully unmanned operations for "bridge cranes, container trucks, and stackers," setting world records for single-machine operational efficiency 13 times. Overall operational efficiency has increased by 30% compared to traditional terminals, while saving 80% of manpower. At Rizhao Port, the world's first shore-based open automated container terminal broke the limitations of traditional "closed" layouts for automated terminals, achieving "construction, operation, and optimization simultaneously." It also established the world's first bulk dry bulk cargo智慧绿色 demonstration port, realizing "cargo flow without visible cargo, personnel operations without visible people." Yantai Port推进 the交通强国 special pilot project "智慧滚装与‘源网荷储’绿色低碳功能优化提升试点" and successfully implemented the nation's first smart and green ro-ro terminal for commercial vehicles. Bohai Bay Port introduced the country's first ice-strengthened智能纯电 tugboat, earning three authoritative intelligent ship certifications: "i-Ship (M) for intelligent engine room," "i-Ship (E) for intelligent energy efficiency management," and "i-Ship (I) for intelligent integrated platform."
Furthermore, Shandong Port actively implements the national "AI+" strategy, establishing one of the nation's first and the industry's sole National Artificial Intelligence Application Pilot Base, achieving initial results. It systematically identified over 80 key AI application scenarios covering the entire port chain, forming a comprehensive port AI application scenario map. It launched the industry's first large language model for ports and developed intelligent agents. It constructed vertical domain models for port trade & services and unmanned driving, released the nation's first port-specific AI chip, leading the港航 digital and intelligent transformation. Empowered by intelligence, the construction of green ports is advancing efficiently in parallel. Shandong Port has introduced a series of pragmatic measures to全力推动 port low-carbon and environmentally friendly transformation. Qingdao Port built Asia's first "Hydrogen + 5G" smart green terminal, equipped with hydrogen-powered container trucks and hydrogen-powered quay cranes, achieving "zero-emission operations and fully clean energy." Rizhao Port大力推进 "oil-to-electricity" and "oil-to-gas" conversions, while also突破 the challenge of shore power connection for large干散货 ships, achieving 100% shore power coverage at specialized berths and forming a replicable and scalable shore power application solution for "all berth types + all ship type adaptation." Yantai Port's vehicle ro-ro terminal, through optimizing energy structure and promoting green operational models, became the nation's first vehicle ro-ro terminal to receive national-level "carbon neutrality" certification. Bohai Bay Port successfully built a "zero-carbon port," providing a replicable and scalable "Shandong Port model" for the sustainable development of the national port industry.
Today, the concept of green development is deeply embedded in every corner of Shandong Port. The first "ship-to-ship" green methanol bunkering operation was successfully completed; wind power grid connection and power generation are accelerating; photovoltaic installations are being expedited under the principle of "build where possible, build quickly where feasible"; the use of clean energy has significantly increased, with port green electricity generation reaching 120 million kWh in 2025. Currently, Shandong Port has been awarded "Beautiful China, Pioneer Enterprise." Twenty terminal companies have received honors such as亚太 Green Port and China Green Port. Qingdao Port's Qianwan South Port Area was rated as one of the nation's first container "Five-Star" Green Port Areas. Rizhao Port's mobile source emission reductions received positive feedback from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and its green sustainable development case was selected as a corporate action典型案例 at the UN Climate Change Conference. These actions provide a "Shandong model" for the green transformation of the national port industry.
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