Jining Port has joined the ranks of China's 100-million-metric-ton ports, with throughput reaching 106 million tons from January to November, up 18.5 percent from last year. This puts Jining Port as a key inland waterway hub in northern China. 

The port has been built around the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, and is a key hub in Shandong. It links with national waterways via the port of Shanghai to cut costs and boost efficiency. Jining is using its port to shift from coal and steel to eight sectors, like shipping, logistics, and trade. It is also focusing on new energy vessel making, with production growing fast and getting international orders. These vessels are sent to BRI countries, embedding Jining in the global supply chain. 

In 2024, Jining's GDP hit 586.7 billion yuan ($83.6 billion) with a 5.8 percent growth. Looking ahead, the port's throughput, number one among northern inland ports, and international recognition of new energy vessel tech are growing Shandong's shipbuilding industry. New orders are up 91.6 percent, getting closer to Jining's goal of becoming a "trillion-yuan city" in five years.

Jining, Shandong, turns its port into a major industry hub. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_ccfd1293bad8]