Ports are basic and hub facilities. Their cargo throughput can directly reflect the local economic vitality and development trends, and are often regarded as a "barometer" of economic development. According to the latest data on the world's top 30 container ports, Taicang Port has jumped to the 20th place in the world's container ports. Behind the global TOP20, what opportunities has Taicang Port seized, and what experience and practices does it have? On May 31, the "One River Clear Water Ten Thousand Mountains" online theme interview team went deep into Taicang Port in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province to find out.

Taicang Port is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, close to the channel for Shanghai to go to the sea, at the end of the river and the head of the sea, with a wide hinterland. With the in-depth implementation of the integrated development strategy of the Yangtze River Delta, Taicang Port has gradually moved from a "small river port" to a "big hub", achieving a gorgeous transformation. That afternoon, the reporter saw at the scene that the bridge cranes of the Zhenghe International Container Terminal of Taicang Port were lined up, and the container trucks at the port terminal were constantly flowing, a busy scene.

"Taicang Port is a practitioner, witness and beneficiary of the integration of the Yangtze River Delta." Wang Minyong, director of the Development and Service Bureau of the Taicang Port Management Committee, introduced that for many years, Taicang Port, as the northern wing container trunk port of the Shanghai International Shipping Center, has actively integrated into the division of labor and circulation of the Shanghai International Shipping Center, and actively integrated into the construction of the world-class port group in the Yangtze River Delta based on resources and capital. We will unswervingly implement the Yangtze River and inland river strategy, make every effort to enhance the Yangtze River's collection and transit and inland river feeding and convergence capabilities, and consolidate the status of the river-sea-river transit hub port. We will actively participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, focus on the development idea of "land-sea linkage, domestic and foreign mutual assistance, and east-west two-way mutual assistance", increase the efforts to open new routes, and enhance the service level of sea-rail transport.

The number of cars "going out to sea" at Taicang Port accounts for one-tenth of the country's exported cars, and the port's foreign trade cargo throughput has exceeded 100 million tons... On the basis of strengthening the traditional cargo types of the port, Taicang Port adheres to "adapting measures to local conditions" and takes the development of characteristic industries and emerging industries as the main direction. On the one hand, we will improve the level of informationization, automation, and intelligent development of the port, and promote the efficient operation of the port with digital technology and intelligent manufacturing. On the other hand, we will focus on seizing the "trend" of new energy industry development such as photovoltaics, wind energy, new energy vehicles, and large-capacity energy storage cabinets, launch a standard system for new energy operation and safety supervision specifications, and concentrate on building a new energy commodity export base.

With the help of the good wind, Taicang Port will catch the express train of integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta. In 2023, the annual container throughput of Taicang Port will reach 8.039 million TEUs, and the container throughput will be ranked 8th in the country and 20th in the world. It has been the first in Jiangsu Province for 6 consecutive years and has led the Yangtze River for 14 consecutive years. The export of "new three" automobiles, batteries, and photovoltaics exceeded 480,000 TEUs, of which 181,000 were new energy vehicles. From January to April this year, Taicang Port completed a container throughput of 2.722 million TEUs, an increase of 11.8% year-on-year, of which 1.761 million TEUs were completed for foreign trade containers, an increase of 8.9% year-on-year. Taicang Port exported 171,100 vehicles, of which 56,700 were new energy vehicles and 73,600 were exported to countries along the Belt and Road.

Wang Minyong said that in the future, Taicang Port will further deepen the integrated development of port, industry and city, accelerate the construction of the "demonstration port" of the Yangtze River Delta port integration, build the "core area" of Suzhou port-type national logistics hub with high quality, develop the "material trade port" with international competitiveness at a high level, and promote the "warm port" with high standards to optimize the business environment, and strive to move towards a large port with tens of millions of standard containers and the "most beautiful port" on the Yangtze River.Editor/Zhao E