Fifty years ago today, China's first 100,000-ton modern deep-water oil port—Dalian New Port—was completed and began operations. It was designed and constructed by faculty and students of Dalian Institute of Technology, including academicians Qian Lingxi and Qiu Dahong. This port was entirely surveyed, designed, and built by China, using only domestically produced materials. At the time, it was the largest, deepest, and most technologically advanced oil port in the country.
In the early 1970s, China's Daqing Oilfield produced over 20 million tons of crude oil annually. The nation urgently needed to export oil to earn foreign exchange and support economic development, but it lacked a deep-water port capable of accommodating 100,000-ton oil tankers. Initially, the government planned to import technology and equipment from Japan for port construction. However, the Japanese side demanded exorbitant prices and displayed an arrogant attitude, leading to the breakdown of negotiations.
Confronted with technological blockades and material shortages, Premier Zhou Enlai made a resolute decision: "We will not rely on foreign assistance. We will build the port ourselves—a 'Port of Pride'!" In March 1973, the Ministry of Transport assigned the task to Dalian Institute of Technology, the predecessor of Dalian University of Technology. Upon receiving the assignment, then-president Qu Bochuan quickly mobilized resources.
Faculty and students responded enthusiastically. A team of over 400 members from six departments—Civil Engineering, Mathematics and Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics, Chemical Engineering, and Naval Architecture—along with the university’s factory, packed their bags and headed to the site to conduct surveys, design, construction, and equipment development. Key faculty members, including Qian Lingxi, Qiu Dahong, Xing Zhizhuang, and Hong Chengli, formed the core of this攻坚 effort.
As a pioneer in computational mechanics in China, Academician Qian Lingxi led young teachers in round-the-clock laboratory work. They reviewed all available domestic and international materials and repeatedly studied foreign failures—bridges with spans exceeding 70 meters had collapsed one after another, while the proposed trestle bridge would span nearly 100 meters, doubling the difficulty. Undeterred by the lack of precedent, Qian famously stated, "Scientific breakthroughs often stem from the courage to pioneer."
After numerous comparisons, calculations, and revisions, Qian’s team finalized the design of a "100-meter-span open-web truss fully welded steel trestle bridge." This bridge type was material-efficient, quick to construct, and structurally sound. Most importantly, it was entirely the product of Chinese ingenuity. The design saved thousands of tons of steel alone, conserving substantial national funds.
Facing steel shortages, Academician Qiu Dahou optimized concrete mixtures, using high-strength concrete to replace some steel components. Without large transport equipment, he ingeniously applied tidal patterns, proposing an innovative "two-stage pouring + floating tilt" method that leveraged buoyancy and tidal currents to solve construction challenges.
On April 30, 1976, Dalian New Port was officially completed and operational. A nine-span steel trestle bridge, stretching 954 meters with welds totaling over 790 kilometers, soared above the water, marking a significant milestone in China’s port construction and oil transportation modernization.
Within just three and a half years of operation, the port recouped its 140 million yuan construction investment. It handled over 90% of China’s crude oil exports annually and, in its first decade, shipped 130 million tons of crude oil, generating over USD 20 billion in foreign exchange earnings. The "Port of Pride" not only earned foreign currency but also restored national dignity and confidence.
Fifty years later, Dalian New Port has transformed from a crude oil export terminal into a modern energy hub handling crude oil imports and natural gas transportation. Its trestle bridge remains in excellent condition. Over the past five decades, faculty and students from Dalian University of Technology have continued to contribute to major national projects, including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Three Gorges Project, and sounding rockets, perpetuating the "Port of Pride" spirit for fifty years.
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