China Plans Expansion of Tianjin Port

Along with the release this weekend of China’s blueprint for developing the country’s logistics infrastructure and capacity to 2020 comes a plan to double the size of the deepwater port in Tianjin. 

Tianjin is already the world’s largest artificial deepwater port, the largest port in northern China and the world’s fourth largest port by cargo throughput. It has established ties with over 500 ports in 180 countries, and its cargo throughput exceeded 500 million tonnes in 2013. 

The project will see the water area of Tianjin increased by 1,120 square km to become 1,590 square km. There will be another 71 new berths built to bring the total to 146. 

China is looking to boost port infrastructure and improve its logistics chain. Its total logistics costs accounted for 18 percent of gross domestic product last year and the 2020 plan is designed to see this lowered to 16 percent. China’s State Council has called for wider cooperation including the cutting of red tape and toll fees.

The South China Morning Post reports that China ranked 28th in the 2014 International Logistics Performance Index published by the World Bank, second only to Malaysia amongst developing nations. However, domestic logistics performance is low, with only 76 per cent of shipments meeting quality criteria, the World Bank report shows. The ratio in Hong Kong is 95 per cent.

The cost of the Tainjin project has not yet been announced.