The Yangtze River, a "golden waterway" traversing China's east and west, is not only an economic artery ensuring smooth cargo flow but also a strategic link connecting regional coordinated development. In this inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the implementation of the Yangtze River Economic Belt development strategy has entered its second decade. Chongqing Port in the upper reaches and Wuhu Port in the lower reaches, through the deep integration of "river-sea combined transport," vividly illustrate the formidable momentum of the Yangtze River as a transportation artery. They showcase the openness of ports as starting points of the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as green practices that integrate economic development with environmental protection.

Artery Unblocked: Upgrading the Efficiency of the Golden Waterway

During the Lunar New Year season, freighters shuttling back and forth on the river—from Chongqing's Guoyuan Port in the upper reaches to Wuhu Port in the lower reaches—form the busiest scene along this "golden artery."

As a key comprehensive hub port in Anhui Province and even the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Wuhu Port has become a benchmark for the intelligent transformation of inland river ports, thanks to the smart upgrade of the Zhujiaqiao International Container Terminal. "Unmanned operation and intelligent dispatching" have not only improved efficiency but also reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions through process optimization. Currently, Wuhu Port has opened two main routes to Shanghai and Chongqing, radiating to major ports along the route including Taicang, Nanjing, and Wuhan, forming a logistics network that connects the east and west.

Data shows that in 2025, Wuhu Port handled 1.8051 million TEUs of containers, a year-on-year increase of 10.82%, accounting for over 57% of Anhui Province's total. During the same period, cargo throughput reached 165 million tons. Both key indicators ranked first in Anhui Province, signifying that Wuhu Port's service capability and strategic position as a crucial comprehensive hub port in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River have been further consolidated. This scale growth benefits from the comprehensive upgrading of the port's capacity.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Wuhu Port added 17 new berths, bringing the total number of 10,000-ton-class berths to 18, accounting for nearly 67% of the province's total. The route network has been continuously expanded, with over 30 container routes now in operation, achieving full "point-to-point" coverage to the Port of Shanghai. The weekly frequency of "liners with fixed schedules, routes, ports, and vessels" exceeds 45 trips, and the river-sea combined transport network covers 144 countries and regions, effectively ensuring the export demand for industries such as automobiles and home appliances in the region.

Behind these figures lies the immense potential continuously unleashed by the Yangtze River as a transportation artery. Cargo flowing downstream from Chongqing's Guoyuan Port can be efficiently consolidated and transferred at Wuhu Port, reaching seaports directly via its dense liner routes, or continue downstream to the river mouth and out to sea. This transport network, characterized by upper-lower linkage and trunk-feeder connection, is maximizing the benefits of the Yangtze River as a "golden waterway."

Chongqing Guoyuan Port is a third-generation modern inland river port area planned and constructed as the shipping hub in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. It features 18 berths capable of handling 5,000-ton vessels and 14 dedicated railway lines. In recent years, the port has undergone continuous smart upgrades. Control rooms have been moved into offices, and remote control of gantry cranes now allows each operator to manage 3 to 4 pieces of equipment from their office.

For the entire port, the application scenarios of smart technology are extending to multiple areas, effectively boosting the port's throughput. The annual throughput of Guoyuan Port has exceeded 26 million tons, with accessibility to over 100 countries and regions worldwide.

Constructing national-level comprehensive transportation hubs like Chongqing's Guoyuan Port is a key element of the Outline of the Development Plan for the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Over the past decade, the throughput capacity of ports along the Yangtze River's main line has grown significantly, with the number of 100-million-ton ports increasing year by year. Remarkable achievements have been made in the construction of a comprehensive three-dimensional transportation corridor along the river.

"In this decade, the number of 100-million-ton ports along the Yangtze's main line has increased from 11 to 18, with four added in the lower reaches and three in the middle reaches. The integration of railway, highway, and waterway transportation modes at these ports makes our logistics smoother and transportation costs lower," said Guo Tao, Director of the Changjiang Shipping Development Research Center. "Industries throughout the Yangtze River Economic Belt are distributed along the river. The development of Yangtze River shipping can facilitate the orderly gradient transfer of industries from the lower reaches to the middle and upper reaches, thereby driving the development of the central and western regions."

Open Starting Point: The "First Kilometer" Connecting Ports to the World

In the context of constructing a "dual circulation" new development pattern, ports are no longer merely cargo distribution centers but have become strategic starting points linking inland cities to the world.

For Chongqing, located deep inland, Guoyuan Port is not only a shipping hub in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River but also a connection point between the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the west, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and the Belt and Road Initiative. At the turn of the year, the Lingang Economic Industry Development Project at Chongqing Guoyuan Port National Logistics Hub was officially launched. Leveraging its integrated "water-rail-highway" collection and distribution system, cargo is rapidly transferred and distributed at Guoyuan Port, significantly improving logistics efficiency and reducing transportation costs. Today, it has become a "transfer station" connecting the western region with the global market. It is reported that during the Spring Festival holiday, New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor trains departed from Guoyuan Port daily, heading to Southeast Asian countries via Qinzhou Port.

Similarly, Wuhu Port is also stepping onto the international stage with an open attitude. In 2024, Wuhu Port launched its first direct international ro-ro foreign trade route. Now, at the Wuhu Port ro-ro terminal, vehicles are shipped from the port almost every day. In January of this year alone, the port handled 25,200 finished vehicles via ro-ro, a record high for that period. On November 25 last year, the Wuhu Port International Container Terminal witnessed the historic moment when Anhui Province's annual vehicle exports surpassed the 1 million mark for the first time.

The smart and efficient Wuhu Port has enabled Anhui's self-owned brand automobiles, represented by Chery, to reach the world more conveniently. In 2025, Anhui's export of vehicles (including chassis) reached 1.228 million units, firmly ranking first in China with a year-on-year increase of 28.7%.

The "new trios," represented by new energy vehicles, are now departing from Wuhu Port at an accelerated pace, reaching overseas markets directly via river-sea combined transport.

It is worth noting that to address the challenge of long shipping cycles for "new trios" cargo, maritime authorities in Wuhu and Shanghai have innovatively launched pilot reforms for the "one-box system" and "one-document system." Through inter-city collaboration, the approval process has been transformed from a "sequential" to a "parallel" one, enabling "single consignment, one document through, one box direst arrival." This shortens declaration time by 25% per order and saves over 1,500 yuan in logistics costs per container. This reform experience, originating from Shanghai and Wuhu, is now being promoted by the Changjiang Maritime Safety Administration to 12 branch maritime safety administrations, including those in Chongqing, Wuhan, and Jiujiang. It promotes institutional connectivity along the Yangtze River, opening up the "first kilometer" of overseas access for more inland cities.

Green Coexistence: The Harmonious Development of Ports and Cities

As the economy rapidly advances, the banks of the Yangtze River are also writing their own chapter on green development.

The principle of "great protection, not over development" is permeating every detail of port construction and operation. While advancing the construction of a smart port, Wuhu Port has vigorously promoted the use of shore power facilities. Simultaneously, it actively integrates energy feedback, electricity replacing fuel oil, intelligent lighting, and other energy-saving and carbon-reduction technologies. It has built over 40,000 square meters of distributed rooftop photovoltaics, further promoting the construction of a "zero-carbon smart port" at Wuhu Port. During berthing, ships have switched from using fuel oil for power generation to clean shore power, significantly reducing air pollutant emissions. Concurrently, the port operation area has fully implemented rainwater-sewage separation and onboard pollutant classification, ensuring that every drop of water flowing into the Yangtze meets standards.

At Chongqing's Guoyuan Port, green development is similarly the defining characteristic of high-quality development. In 2017, Guoyuan Port initiated its "green port" construction, investing a total of 180 million yuan in environmental protection funds. While leveraging the advantages of the "golden waterway," it upholds its responsibility as an upstream guardian to "protect the clear waters of the river."

In the bulk cargo storage yard, a 16-meter-high and 3,500-meter-long wind and dust suppression net stands like a "green great wall." "The opening rate and angle of each mesh have been precisely calculated to reduce dust spillage by over 80%," explained the technical director. Within the 13-kilometer-long enclosed belt conveyor corridor, ore and coal are transported "invisibly" under the protection of dust removal facilities, putting an end to the era of "dust filling the sky whenever the wind blows."

More importantly, with the promotion of the Shanghai-Wuhu reform experience along the entire Yangtze River, the "one-box system" and "one-document system" have not only improved logistics efficiency but also reduced vessel berthing time at ports by minimizing processes like repeated container opening and re-declaration, indirectly lowering carbon emissions. This "green dividend" brought by institutional innovation is spreading along the river, enabling economic development and environmental protection to work in tandem on both banks of the Yangtze.

From Bayu in the upper reaches to Jianghuai in the lower reaches, the linkage between Chongqing Port and Wuhu Port epitomizes the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Using the river as a medium and ports as bridges, they keep the transportation artery unblocked while opening their arms to the world; they pursue economic benefits while safeguarding the clear waters of the river. Standing at the starting line of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the banks of the Yangtze, embracing greater openness, greener practices, and enhanced coordination, are transforming the inland hinterland into a "new coastal region" connecting with the world.

Source: anhuinews.com