The 10 Main Sea Ports in China
China is home to 10 of the world’s busiest shipping ports, supporting its role as one of the world’s largest manufacturing economies.
Understanding China’s ports can help you make informed decisions about shipping and other logistics that you likely will face when doing business with a Chinese company.
Given China’s immense manufacturing economy, it will come as no surprise that the country relies on its shipping ports as primary gateways for importing and exporting goods. Globally, eight of the world’s 17 busiest shipping ports are in Mainland China; adding Taiwan and Hong Kong raises that tally to 10.
In this article we provide an overview of these 10 primary Chinese shipping ports based on container shipping. Almost all are located along China’s eastern coast, stretching from Dalian (north) to Shenzhen (south), spanning the Yellow, East China, and South China Seas. Nine of the shipping ports in China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan) are located in coastal cities, with the Port of Guangzhou located at the intersection of three important rivers: the Dongjiang, Xijiang and Beijiang Rivers, each of which have the waterway, railway, expressway and air lines intersecting and forming a critical transportation hub. In addition, seven of these main Chinese ports overlap with six Chinese Free Trade Zones, and also are located in the majority of the provinces where foreign companies are conducting business.
| Port | Terminals and ports | Operator | Website | Key facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Yangshan Deep Water Port Waigaoqiao Shipping Terminals | Shanghai International Port (Group) Co., Ltd. | http://www.portshanghai.com.cn | • Became the world’s busiest container port in 2010 (displacing the Port of Singapore) • Handles 35 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEU) container per year |
| Shenzhen | Yantian Port (East) Chiwan Port (West) Dachan Bay Port (West) Shekou Port (West) | Shenzhen Yantian Port Holdings China Merchants Port Group | http://www.yantian-port.com http://www.cmport.com.hk/en/ | • Comprises many ports Known for high tech and new industries |
| Ningbo | Beilun Port Zhenhai Port | Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group Co., Ltd. | http://www.nbport.com.cn/portal/wps/portal/en | • Approximately 150 km south of Shanghai • Includes crude oil terminals and ore loading berths• |
| Qingdao | Dagang Port Area Qianwan Container Terminal | Qingdao Port (Group) Co., Ltd. | https://www.qingdao-port.com/en/ | • Known for beer production (Tsingtao) • A prosperous province in China’s economy |
| Guangzhou | Nansha Terminal, Xinsha Port Area, Huangpu Port Area, Downtown Port Area | Guangzhou Port Group Co., Ltd. | www.gzpgroup.com | • Approximately 150 km northwest of Hong Kong • Intersection of the Dongjiang, Xijiang and Beijiang rivers, making it the main port of the Pearl River Delta region |
| Tianjin | North Port South Port East Port | Tianjin Port (Group) Co., Ltd. | www.ptacn.com | • 150 km south of Beijing • One of China’s 4 municipalities (Shanghai, Chongqing and Beijing) |
| Dalian | Dayaowan Port | Dalian Port Group Co., Ltd. | www.portdalian.com | • Port that is furthest north in our list • Borders North Korea |
| Xiamen | Haicang Port Area Dongdu Port Area | Xiamen Port Holding Group | www.xpgco.com.cn | • Primary port handling trade between Mainland China and Taiwan |
| Hong Kong | Kwai Tsing Container Terminals | Modern Terminals Limited Hongkong International Terminals Limited China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company DP World Asia Container Terminals Ltd. | http://www.modernterminals.com/group/index.php https://www.hit.com.hk/ http://en.cosco.com/col/col771/index.html https://www.dpworld.com/ https://www.hphtrust.com/portfolio_act.html | • Previously the world’s busiest container port before being supplanted by Singapore and then Shanghai • Remains the gateway to Mainland China 9 container terminals at Port of Hong Kong |
| Kaohsiung (Taiwan) | Zhongxing Terminal | Taiwan International Ports Corporation Ltd., Kaohsiung Branch | kh.twport.com.tw | • Located in Taiwan’s second city • Handles 10 million TEUs annually |
Additional Resources
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