Qidong, the only county-level city in Jiangsu with access to the Yangtze River, the Yellow Sea, and the East Sea, holds unique geographical, transportation, and natural resource advantages. It has been actively promoting the construction of Lyusi Port and fostering new ocean-based productivity. A coastal industrial belt, focused on port equipment manufacturing, marine new energy, and green materials, has already taken shape.

On Oct 11, Jiangsu Weihua Marine Heavy Industry celebrated the start of full-scale operations and the completion of its dock in Lyusi Port Economic Development Zone, Qidong.

This project, the first in the East Port Basin to receive an investment of over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), marks a major milestone in the development of Jiangsu's coastal industry. After 28 months of construction, the facility is expected to generate an annual output value of 20 billion yuan and create over 2,000 new jobs.

Weihua Marine's plant and dock, which began construction in May 2022, include three 50,000-metric-ton berths. The facility specializes in port machinery, marine engineering equipment, hydrogen storage equipment, and automated terminals. The dock's annual throughput is expected to reach 1.58 million tons, with the first berth boasting a 135-meter roll-on-roll-off ramp, the longest in the industry. In early 2025, the port will serve major international projects, including those from Myanmar and Kenya.

On Sept 29, a 1-billion-yuan agreement was signed between Sunstone Development, Huafon Group, and the Lyusi Port Economic Development Zone to establish a 300,000-ton aluminum anode production base. The project is expected to generate an annual output of 1.2 billion yuan.

Huafon Group, which started operations in Lyusi Port 10 years ago, has become a leading global manufacturer of polyurethane products. The company's vice-president, You Feifeng, praised the business environment in Qidong, noting that the city's support had been a key factor in the group's successful development.

Lang Guanghui, chairman of Sunstone Development, also expressed his confidence in Qidong, stating that Huafon's rapid growth solidified the company's decision to invest in Lyusi Port.