Dalian’s 10-year plan to transform into global shipping center

Dalian Port and Harbor Bureau held a conference on the city’s port, shipping and logistics industries on May 15, setting a primary goal of establishing the city as a leading international navigation center in Northeast Asia with the capability to allocate regional resources in around 10 years.

To this end, Dalian aims to accelerate the expansion of its global shipping network while improving its layout, advance the port development projects during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, as well as facilitate the clearance of international passenger cruise liners through customs at the center’s ancillary facilities.

Dalian will open new shipping routes and improve its transfer system this year. The city will also increase the frequency of ocean-going lines, adding new routes to destinations along the Belt and Road Initiative route, and to emerging regions. In addition, Dalian plans to improve international transfer service systems, providing inland feeders to the Circum-Bohai Sea and North-South domestic trade lines.

Improving cooperation with Shandong and Hebei provinces, and other major enterprises and port cities in the Circum-Bohai Sea region, and with ports in China’s south coast region will also be a focus.

Through intensified cooperation with Shanghai Airport Authority, China Eastern Airlines and Spring Airlines, Dalian International Airport will consolidate its position as a gateway to Northeast Asia, generating steady growth for new domestic and international lines and tourist charter flights.

Dalian will focus on such construction projects as the fourth phase of the Dayaowan Port Area (berths No 23 and No 24), and the renovation and expansion of Dagang Port Area’s cruise terminals Nos 8 to 11. The city will also work on gaining preliminary approval to expand Lvshun New Port and to build a fourth berth at Dayaowan automotive terminal.

City policies will be devised and adopted to support and promote the development of multimodal transport and an international logistics corridor. Dalian will continue to facilitate customs clearance for cruise ships and develop infrastructure, including a logistics park and refrigeratory.

In 2018, Dalian is estimated to have managed total cargo throughput of 463 million tons and a total container throughput of 9.849 million TEU, year-on-year increases of 2.5 percent and 2 percent. Total passenger throughput of Dalian’s airport for 2018 is projected to be 18.55 million, while total transportation turnover of civil aviation is headed for 950 million tons per kilometer. The city’s ports will see a water carriage investment of 916 million yuan ($143.8 million).