As the global port infrastructure race intensifies, Qingdao Port has pressed the accelerator button for capacity expansion and upgrading. Recently, Qingdao Port International Co., Ltd. (601298) announced that it plans to invest 15.7 billion yuan to build two major terminal projects in Dongjiakou Port Area - the first phase of the Langya Taiwan Operating Area Eastern Container Terminal and the Bay Bottom General Terminal. The projects are expected to be completed in 2029 and will inject core power into Qingdao Port's efforts to compete with world-class ports.

The two major dock projects have clear division of labor and each has its own focus. The first phase of the container terminal with a total investment of 9.097 billion yuan will construct three container berths of different tonnages, with a total shoreline length of 1167 meters and a sea area of over 125 hectares for the yard. It will be built to fully automated standards and has a designed annual throughput capacity of 3.2 million TEUs; The general terminal with a total investment of 6.615 billion yuan is planned to have 7 berths ranging from 30000 to 70000 tons, with a shoreline length of 1668 meters and a land area of nearly 110 hectares. The annual throughput capacity can reach 14.33 million tons, and the construction period of both projects is 4 years.

This large-scale investment is a long-term strategic layout for Qingdao Port. The current container throughput capacity of Qianwan Port Area is approaching saturation, while major ports in Northeast Asia are increasing their infrastructure construction, and competition is becoming increasingly fierce. Dongjiakou Port Area, as a key incremental port area for the development of Qingdao Port, will form a synergistic effect with the upgrading and transformation of Qianwan Port Area through the construction of a new container terminal, helping to enhance international transit capacity; The general terminal undertakes the transfer needs of bulk cargo from Qianwan and Dagang Port areas, serving the development of industries such as grain, oil, and steel in the port area. According to the plan, the total investment of Dongjiakou Port Area exceeds 40 billion yuan, and after completion, its throughput capacity will exceed 700 million tons, equivalent to creating another Qingdao Port.

The stable financial fundamentals provide confidence for the huge investment in Qingdao Port. The financial internal rate of return for the two major projects reached 8.15% and 8.02% respectively, slightly exceeding the benchmark rate of return of 8% for coastal ports. In the first three quarters of 2025, Qingdao Port's revenue was 14.238 billion yuan, with a net profit attributable to the parent company of 4.18 billion yuan and a debt ratio of only 25.01%. Its ROE ranked among the top domestic port listed companies, with sufficient cash flow and healthy financial conditions, supporting its smooth progress in project construction.

Behind the wave of port infrastructure construction, opportunities and challenges coexist. Against the backdrop of global economic and trade restructuring, the early layout of hub ports, including Qingdao Port, is not only to seize future shipping market share, but also an inevitable choice to cope with regional competition. However, the cash flow pressure brought about by huge investments, the ramp up of throughput after project completion, and the potential risk of overcapacity still need to be carefully addressed by port enterprises. This battle for the future hub position tests the strategic vision and operational wisdom of enterprises.Editor/Bian Wenjun