Constant upgrades to world's busiest port deliver global trade growth

As the world's busiest port in terms of cargo tonnage, Ningbo Zhoushan Port in East China's Zhejiang province, has kicked off 2026 by breaking critical infrastructure bottlenecks and weaving a denser network of global maritime connections, cementing its role as a vital pillar in China's foreign trade.

Data released recently show that the port's cargo throughput exceeded 1.4 billion metric tons in 2025, ranking first globally for the 17th consecutive year.

Such an achievement was underpinned by a strategic push to upgrade deep-water channels and enhance terminal efficiency to accommodate the global shipping industry's trend toward mega-vessels.

A major milestone was reached with the operational launch of the Tiaozhoumen Channel expansion project. Previously, the port relied heavily on the Xiazhiman Channel, the only passage capable of handling 300,000-ton vessels.

"The annual traffic volume of the Xiazhiman Channel was around 50,000 vessels, which was close to its saturation capacity," said Yao Yuwen, a shift supervisor at the Vessel Traffic Management Center of the Ningbo Maritime Safety Administration. "Inevitably, some ships had to wait, affecting the overall navigation efficiency of the port."

To solve this, Tiaozhoumen Channel was upgraded from a 150,000-ton capacity to a deep-water main passage, allowing 300,000-ton oil tankers to navigate during high tide and 200,000-ton container ships to navigate at all times. This upgrade made Ningbo Zhoushan Port the first in China to possess a dual-channel capability for super-large vessels in its core port area, significantly reducing wait times.

While wider channels allow ships to enter faster, smart technology ensures they are unloaded with precision. At the port's Meishan Port Area, a futuristic scene plays out: unmanned container trucks shuttle back and forth alongside traditional traffic, while bridge cranes are operated remotely, creating a busy yet orderly workflow.

Peng Jie, deputy general manager of Ningbo Meidong Container Terminal Co Ltd, explained that the port has woven a comprehensive "internet of things" by integrating 5G, Beidou high-precision positioning and vehicle-road coordination technologies.

"The efficiency of remote-controlled bridge cranes is now basically on par with manual operations,"Peng said. He noted that the terminal's 24-hour peak handling volume has reached 45,200 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). If stacked up, these containers would reach a height equivalent to 13 Mount Qomolangmas. Qomolangma is the highest mountain in the world, also known as Mount Everest in the West.

Beyond infrastructure and technology, the port is immensely expanding its route network. At the Chuanshan Port Area, containers loaded with electronics and daily necessities were recently loaded onto a vessel for a newly opened direct route to Australia. Launched in early 2026, this route connects Qingdao, Shanghai and Ningbo Zhoushan directly with Brisbane and Sydney.

"The more routes a port has the greater its shipping capacity, offering foreign trade enterprises more options," said Leng Zhiqiang, deputy director of the business department at Ningbo Zhoushan Port Co Ltd.

According to Leng, the port's total number of routes has grown from 289 in 2021 to 309 by the end of 2025. Today, it connects to over 700 ports in more than 200 countries and regions.

These upgrades in hard connectivity and smart efficiency reflect a broader effort to ensure the reliability of logistics for Chinese exporters. From densifying global routes to upgrading deep-water lanes and deploying autonomous tech, the port is evolving to ensure that despite a complex external environment, Chinese goods can reach global markets with greater speed and efficiency.