Qingdao Port's cargo throughput in 2025 has exceeded 700 million metric tons on Dec 8, reaching last year's 700-million-ton record 15 days in advance. Its container throughput has surpassed 30 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) on Nov 26. All the progress has consolidated Qingdao Port's position as the leading international shipping hub in Northeast Asia.

Since the beginning of the year, Qingdao Port has added 20 new container services, with the total number of routes amounting to nearly 240, establishing connections with more than 700 ports in over 180 countries and regions. A total of 60 percent of Qingdao Port's container services connect with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, making the port a "golden gateway" for trade exchanges between China and emerging markets. Aiming at land-sea connectivity, Qingdao Port has set up 54 inland ports and launched 86 intermodal train services. During the January-November period, the port's sea-rail combined transportation volume has reached 2.625 million TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 11 percent, maintaining its leading position among coastal ports nationwide.

Qingdao Port has continued to optimize and promote its self-developed A-TOS (Automated Terminal Operating System), breaking the world handling efficiency record for automated container terminals 13 times. It has advanced the automation of traditional terminals by tackling key technologies in automated loading and unloading, achieving full-scenario, end-to-end and all-equipment automation. This has enabled the port to set a number of consecutive efficiency records in the handling of containers, pulp, iron ore, and grain.

Standing at a new starting point, Qingdao Port will continue to densify its route network, consolidate hardware foundations, deepen technological innovation, advance green transition, thereby contributing efforts to build China into a strong maritime and transportation powerhouse.

Qingdao Port's cargo throughput in 2025 exceeds 700 million metric tons. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]