The Yangtze River surges forward, waves crashing against the shore, marking ten years of sharpened ambition and flourishing port prosperity. On August 23, the Dagang Port Area of Zhenjiang Port celebrated a decade of routine Capesize vessel operations. A decade ago, the 12.5-meter deep-water channel along the Yangtze River, downstream of Nanjing, was fully opened. With a resounding horn, the "Aku Fortune" vessel steadily docked at Berth No. 12 of Zhenjiang Port, heralding the start of the "Capesize Strategy" and ushering in a new era of rising maritime capabilities and expanding port efficiency.
Over these ten years of weathering storms and pressing forward with determination, Zhenjiang Port has deeply integrated into national strategies such as the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the development of a robust transportation network. Upholding the principles of empowering the city through the port and strengthening industrial chains via the port, it has shouldered responsibility in serving the nation's broader development and reinforcing the security of national industrial and supply chains. From initial breakthroughs in "handling large vessels" to mastering the refined operations of "maximizing their use" and advancing toward the strategic leap of "building a stronger hub," Zhenjiang Port has achieved a brilliant transformation through a decade of focused persistence, bold initiative, and relentless pursuit of excellence, delivering an outstanding performance in its high-quality development as an iron ore industrial hub.
Capability Leap: From "First Vessel Breakthrough" to "Fleet Arrivals," the Core of Pragmatic Commitment Remains Unchanged
Over the past decade, Zhenjiang Port's development capabilities have achieved a quantitative leap and dual improvement in quality and efficiency. Capesize vessel drafts have advanced in a "three-step jump" from 11.36 meters to 11.8 meters and now to 12 meters, with large vessel operations becoming routine and scaled. By August 23, 2026, Zhenjiang Port had cumulatively received 1,237 Capesize vessel calls, marking a historic surge in operational capacity and hub connectivity. Behind these figures lies the unwavering diligence of the port's workforce. Regardless of vessel schedules or challenging conditions, all personnel have remained steadfast, seizing the benefits of the deep-water channel and shouldering the crucial task of bulk cargo transshipment along the Yangtze, solidifying the hub's foundation through resilience and dedication.
Service Evolution: From "Handling Capability" to "Service Excellence," the Essence of Craftsmanship Persists
Over the last ten years, Zhenjiang Port's service brand, hardware infrastructure, and green capabilities have been continuously upgraded. Its Capesize vessel service brand has been recognized as a provincial-level benchmark for quality transportation services. Iron ore static storage capacity has surpassed 5 million tons. In May 2026, Jingang Company was officially approved for bonded warehouse operations, marking a historic breakthrough in building the Yangtze River's iron ore industrial port and enhancing bonded warehousing functions, thereby injecting new momentum into the security of the nation's iron ore supply chain. This elevation in service levels stems from the port's consistent craftsmanship. Adhering to a customer-first philosophy, Zhenjiang Port has implemented tailored service models for individual enterprises and vessels, strictly maintaining operational standards, optimizing procedures, and refining service details, earning widespread recognition from cargo owners and shipping lines while continuously polishing its reputation as a top-tier service provider on the Yangtze hub.
Industrial Upgrade: From "Logistics Corridor" to "Industrial Ecosystem," the Commitment to Empowerment Remains Unwavering
Over the decade, Zhenjiang Port's industrial landscape has transformed from simple loading and transshipment to an integrated model of transit, storage, and processing. The Dagang Port Area has evolved into the Yangtze River basin's most comprehensive and largest iron ore processing hub, encompassing a full chain of crushing, screening, blending, beneficiation, and drying. A cluster of processing enterprises, anchored by Baowu Resources Zhenjiang Company, Zhenjiang Xiangyu, and Jiangsu Port Mining Technology, has taken shape, with processing capacity reaching 17 million tons, continuously strengthening the region's core competitiveness. On February 15, 2026, the "Dasui," the Yangtze's first Capesize vessel carrying Simandou iron ore, successfully berthed at Zhenjiang Port, completing the integrated supply chain from "mine to railway to overseas port to transshipment to ocean shipping to domestic harbor to river transport to inland port to steel mills along the Yangtze." This expansion of the industrial landscape reflects the port's mission to serve the regional economy and ensure the stability of industrial and supply chains. Leveraging its hub positioning, large vessel advantages, industrial strength, and strategic location, Zhenjiang Port has smoothed river-sea intermodal corridors, guaranteed bulk material supply, and fueled the growth of port-adjacent industrial clusters, continuously injecting growth momentum into the regional economy. This represents not only a microcosm of the Yangtze's port deep transformation but also a new starting point for Zhenjiang Port's advancement toward a higher-tier iron ore industrial port.
Operational Shift: From "Traditional Terminal" to "Smart Port," the Drive for Excellence Remains Enduring
In the past ten years, Zhenjiang Port has undergone systematic operational reforms. Transitioning from labor-intensive operations to intelligent, digitalized, and refined management, the production scheduling command center is now operational, unmanned inspections of belt conveyors have become routine, and digital platforms for bulk cargo smart operations have been implemented. These advancements have enhanced precision in scheduling, intelligence in inspections, and standardization in workflows, comprehensively upgrading safety management, operational efficiency, and control capabilities. Behind this technological evolution lies the port's persistent pursuit of excellence. Over ten years, Zhenjiang Port has benchmarked against industry leaders, driving breakthroughs in safety control, efficiency enhancement, technological innovation, and management optimization, empowering a traditional port with new quality productive forces and charting a replicable path for high-quality development along the Yangtze.
A decade of trials has witnessed remarkable growth, and the river flows on, yet only the original aspiration remains steadfast. From the "Aku Fortune" to the "Dasui," from the first vessel breakthrough to a fleet of arrivals, Zhenjiang Port's ten-year journey is a vivid testament to the Yangtze Golden Waterway unleashing new momentum and a microcosm of China's ports serving national strategies within a new development paradigm. At this new historical juncture, Zhenjiang Port will continue to forge ahead with determination, strengthening its large vessel advantages, enhancing hub capabilities, and empowering industries, ready to take on new missions and compose new chapters in supporting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the stability of industrial and supply chains.