Shandong builds strong marine economy
China DailyThe province of Shandong in East China has been ramping up efforts to develop a strong marine economy with world-class ports, a modern marine industrial system, and a green and sustainable marine environment, according to local authorities. Qingdao Port in Shandong During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Shandong aims to build an international shipping hub centered on Qingdao Port, improve its port collection and distribution system, and accelerate the integrated development of ports, industry, and city. Shandong Port Group, launched in 2019, has unified the major ports in the province, including Qingdao Port, Yantai Port, Rizhao Port, and the Bohai Bay Port Group, to improve port facilities and services. In the first quarter of this year, Shandong Port Group processed 371 million tons of cargo, up 9 percent year-on-year; and its container throughput hit 7.93 million twenty-foot equivalent units, an increase of 11 percent, the group's best performance first-quarter performance. Changdao Island in Yantai, Shandong province During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, Shandong built 105 marine ranching demonstration areas at or above provincial-level, among which 44 are at the national-level, accounting for 40 percent of the country's total marine ranching demonstration areas.