Xiaoqing River to resume operations

Jinan has issued its first port operating permit, showing that the main urban port area of Jinan Port has satisfied the operating conditions to serve as an important infrastructure for the Xiaoqing River Restoration Project.

After three years of construction, the main parts of the project, including the core waterway and associated bridges, have been virtually completed. The entire route is expected to be open to traffic at the end of June.

Jinan Port aims to become the most technologically advanced, fully functional, well-equipped, and environmentally friendly inland hub port north of the Yangtze River, as well as its leading port.

The plan is to construct the main city port and Zhangqiu port, with the main city port located 200 meters downstream of Xiaoqinghe Bridge on Hehua Road in the Jinan High-tech Zone. Nineteen berths, each capable of handling 1,000 tons, are planned to be built, covering an area of 11 square kilometers with a total investment of 5.6 billion yuan ($784,560).

The initial stage of the project aims to build eight 1000-ton berths across an area of approximately 46.67 hectares, with an estimated investment of 1.1 billion yuan. Upon completion, the port will boast a comprehensive throughput capacity of 6.64 million tons per year, including 409,000 TEUs annually dedicated to containerized shipping.

As a significant force driving the inland economy, inland ports will improve the multimodal logistics system and foster closer integration of the port industry with urban development.