Xiamen Port: Center of shipping expertise

Region promotes digital transformation and high-quality development in transport hubs

Xiamen Port in Fujian province has played an active role in integrating the new development pattern, advancing its digital transformation and bolstering the high-quality development and dual-circulation paradigm in all aspects.

In 2022, the container throughput of Xiamen Port reached 12.43 million twenty-foot equivalent units, a year-on-year increase of 3.22 percent. From January to July, it completed 7.09 million TEUs, up 1.29 percent year-on-year. Its cargo throughput reached 220 million metric tons last year.

The water transport turnover of Xiamen Port amounted to 290.83 billion ton-kilometers in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 13.04 percent. From January to July, it achieved 180.18 billion km, a year-on-year increase of 9.82 percent.

Xiamen Port is accelerating its efforts to increase the support for container sea-rail intermodal transportation. This year, the cumulative sea-rail intermodal transportation has reached 61,000 TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 74.76 percent. COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers has established a branch in Xiamen and introduced five vessels with a total carrying capacity of 190,000 deadweight tons.

Smart plan

Seven key projects including the Xiamen Port Digital Navigation Comprehensive Guarantee Service Platform and Major Hazard Source Monitoring and Early Warning System are in full swing.

Xiamen's "5G plus Beidou Intelligent Port Application" has won the highest award, the Platinum Award, in the National Satellite Navigation and Positioning Science and Technology Innovation Application Competition. The "container horizontal transportation autonomous driving pilot application" was selected among the first batch of pilot projects for intelligent transportation by the Ministry of Transport.

The city has also integrated mixed ownership in its offshore terminals, launched the one-stop maritime tourism platform and developed characteristic routes such as the "Sunset Route" and "Xiamen Story".

The waterway passenger transportation market continues to recover, with 529,600 passengers transported during the May Day holiday. The commercial complex Ocean Kingdom in the cruise home port area opened on May 1, enriching the surrounding area of the cruise home port.

The bus terminals in the area were put into use on April 15, serving six bus lines and equipped with 35 bus parking spaces to facilitate the travel of tourists.

Opening-up

Xiamen Port has a total of 168 container routes including 129 international routes connecting 146 ports in 55 countries and regions.

Among them, there are 11 routes for the BRICS countries and 87 routes for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership countries. The innovative Silk Road shipping e-commerce express line has been launched with a total of 100 routes, of which 57 from Xiamen have operated 1,218 voyages, handling a container throughput of 1.34 million TEUs.

A friendly port agreement has been signed with Singapore. The success of the "Exploring a New Model of Cross-border E-commerce, China-Europe Railway Express and Silk Road Shipping" was selected as the best case in the third batch of pilot projects for comprehensive deepening of service trade innovation and development by the State Council.

Business environment

Xiamen Port aims to create a world-class market-oriented, rule-of-law, and international business environment by conducting comprehensive reform, launching pilot projects and improving its competitiveness and services.

Efforts are being made to optimize the port's operations in five aspects: the customs clearance environment, the quality and efficiency of port and shipping services, its digital transformation, being green and low-carbon, and having a stable and transparent port environment.

A list of 40 tasks was drawn up, of which 26 have been completed so far.

The Implementation Plan for the Enhancement of Xiamen Port's Navigational Capacity has been compiled to promote the interconnection, mutual recognition and mutual acceptance of customs clearance data, and to reduce the time for single vessel clearance and inspection by more than 80 percent.

For four consecutive years, Xiamen has received the highest star rating in the Top 10 Container Port Business Environment Evaluation for ocean shipping and improved its customs clearance environment.