In 2024, China's port cargo and container throughput remained the world's highest.
Published Time：
2025-03-31 10:04
Source：
(Data source: Ministry of Transport, March 2025)
The latest statistics from the Ministry of Transport show that China's port cargo throughput reached 17.6 billion tons in 2024, and container throughput exceeded 330 million TEUs, maintaining its global leading position. China holds eight and six of the top ten global rankings for cargo throughput and container throughput respectively, highlighting the pivotal role of Chinese ports in the global trade system.
Infrastructure and Technological Innovation Lead Industry Development China has formed world-class port clusters in the Bohai Rim, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with port infrastructure scale ranking first globally for many consecutive years. Port construction investment remained high throughout the year, reaching 122.3 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.9%. The proportion of large, deep-water, specialized berths has significantly increased, and the number of automated terminals ranks first globally. Among them, the fully automated terminal at Qingdao Port in Shandong has achieved a 6% increase in operational efficiency, and Yangshan Port area in Shanghai has become the world's first container terminal with an annual throughput exceeding 50 million TEUs.
Green Transformation and Smart Upgrades Yield Significant Results Chinese ports are accelerating the promotion of green and low-carbon development. The proportion of new energy and clean energy-powered container trucks at 11 international hub seaports exceeds 60%, and the use of shore power for vessels in the Yangtze River Economic Belt increased by 54% year-on-year. Ports such as Ningbo-Zhoushan and Tianjin have exceeded 300 million kilowatt-hours of annual green electricity supply through renewable energy projects such as wind and solar power. The construction of smart ports is simultaneously deepening, with the widespread application of technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. The digital twin system of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has improved typhoon early warning response efficiency by 40%, and Shanghai Port has saved over 100 million yuan in fuel costs annually through intelligent algorithms.
Service Capacity and Strategic Layout Continuously Optimized Key national port projects are accelerating their implementation, and the layout of transportation systems for major commodities such as coal, crude oil, and iron ore is becoming more comprehensive. Multimodal transport modes such as water-water transfer and rail-water intermodal transport are developing innovatively, with rail-water intermodal transport volume increasing by 15% year-on-year. The Ministry of Transport has stated that it will adhere to the three strategic directions of integration, innovation, and safety in the future, deepen regional port coordination, strengthen the deep integration of smart ports and green ports, improve the safety production system, and build a solid foundation for global supply chain security.
As a crucial node in global trade, Chinese ports are transitioning from scale advantages to rule-making power through the export of technical standards, the formulation of supply chain rules, and the integration of international shipping networks. These achievements not only support high-quality economic development domestically but also contribute a "China solution" to the sustainable development of the global shipping industry.
