Tianjin Port in North China's Tianjin Municipality has announced to a new plan to expand its annual container throughput capacity to 35 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) by 2035. This represents a significant leap from its 2024 volume of 22 million TEUs and underscores the port's commitment to becoming an international hub and a key coastal port.

The plan shows that the port city is accelerating its transition from a "channel economy" to a "port economy," integrating port operations, industry and urban development, according to local authorities on Sunday. This development will enhance Tianjin Port's capacity to handle the largest ships, further solidifying its pivotal role in maritime trade. Meanwhile, it is expected to better serve the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The plan also outlines the comprehensive upgrade of public infrastructure, including the construction of five navigation channels, with the highest navigational grade accommodating 300,000-ton class vessels.

Tianjin Port, located on the coast of the Bohai Sea, is a major shipping point in North China. It has opened 145 container routes, maintaining trade with more than 500 ports in more than 180 countries and regions around the world, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The flourishing development of Chinese ports has become a vivid manifestation of the country's high-quality opening-up in the new era, according to Tian Yun, a veteran economist based in Beijing. Fueled by both domestic and foreign trade, Chinese ports such as Guangzhou, Ningbo-Zhoushan and Tianjin are expanding throughputs to meet the rising demand.

Authorities in South China's Guangzhou have launched the "One Port Pass" pilot plan in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, fostering complementary advantages and common development among ports. East China's Shandong Province has leveraged its marine resources to promote the integrated reform and development of coastal ports, aiming to create a world-class port group. By 2035, Shandong's port throughput is expected to reach 2 billion tons, with container volumes surpassing 50 million TEUs, Xinhua reported.

As an important economic indicator, port operations showcase the robustness of China's production activity and foreign trade, and the ports play a significant role in maintaining the stability of the global supply chain, Tian told the Global Times on Sunday.

"Ports have proved instrumental in bolstering foreign trade and driving economic growth in the region and beyond, as they play crucial roles in enhancing the openness and accessibility of cities, reflecting the vibrant dynamism of China's economy," Tian said.

Major Chinese ports continued to demonstrate robust growth in cargo and container throughput in 2024.

In 2024, Tianjin Port achieved cargo throughput of 493 million tons, a 3 percent increase year-on-year, and container throughput of 23.28 million TEUs, up by 5 percent, setting a new record. Qingdao Port in Shandong reported cargo throughput of 712 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 4.2 percent, and container throughput of 30.87 million TEUs, up 7.3 percent from a year earlier. Shanghai Port continued its global leadership with container throughput of 51.506 million TEUs, marking the 15th consecutive year as the world's largest container port.

China has a significant stake in the network of global ports that are central to world trade. According to a Xinhua report, China has eight of the world's top 10 busiest ports in terms of cargo throughput and seven of the world's top 10 ports in terms of container throughput.

Furthermore, Chinese ports have been vigorously promoting the specialization and intelligent transformation of terminals, further enhancing port service capabilities in recent years, according to Tian.

Data from the Ministry of Transport showed that from January to November 2024, China's total port cargo throughput reached 16.04 billion tons, a year-on-year increase of3.4 percent. Container throughput reached 300 million TEUs, with year-on-year growth of 7.3 percent, maintaining a steady increase.