The first phase of Yugong Port, a landmark project for the high-quality development of ports and shipping industries in Hunan Province, officially started operation on the morning of December 24, 2024.
Mao Weiming, deputy secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and governor of Hunan Province, addressed the opening ceremony and inspected the port operation.
Provincial leaders Xie Weijiang and Li Jianzhong, and provincial government secretary-general Qu Hai attended.
On December 24, Governor Mao announced the opening of the first phase of Yugong Port.
Yugong Port, located in Santang Town, Xiangyin County, is at the inlet where the Xiangjiang River flows to the Dongting Lake and also the confluence of Xiangjiang, Zijiang, Yuanshui, and Lishui rivers. The location is 69 kilometers from the Xianing Port of Changsha to the south and 87 kilometers from the Chenglingji Port of Yueyang to the north. Boasting an extension port of Chenglingji, the bulk cargo distribution and transshipment port, and the deep-water port serving the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan (CZT) area, it has been listed as one of ten major infrastructure projects of Hunan Province in 2023. The project started construction in December 2022 and was planned to be completed by the end of 2027, with a total investment of 5.16 billion CNY. Divided into three phases, the project was planned with 1.6 kilometers of cargo shoreline, and 12 newly-built 3,000-tonne and 5,000-tonne berths in the port, with a throughput capacity of 28 million tonnes per year.
The opening ceremony for the first phase of Yugong Port in Xiangyin County.
Worth 1.248 billion CNY in the first phase construction, the port has 4 newly-built 3,000-tonne and 5,000-tonne berths, with a throughput capacity of 9.9 million tonnes per year upon operation. It will be accessible for 5000-tonne freighters all year round, extending the golden waterway of the Yangtze River nearly 100 kilometers to inland Hunan. It enables the core growth engine of CZT area to realize water transportation of "linking the rivers to the sea", significantly shortening the transportation time and distance of goods. This will provide a new platform and inject new momentum for Hunan's deep integration into the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the "Belt and Road" Initiative, and the enlargement of its development advantages.
Governor Mao visited the wharf platform of Yugong Port.
Before the opening ceremony, Governor Mao and his entourage came to the wharf platform of Yugong Port, to learn about the construction of the platform and the collection and distribution system. He noted that the Yugong Port project is an important part of Hunan port system of "one hub, multiple key points, and wide extension". He called for taking the port opening as an opportunity to accelerate the improvement of railway sidings, highways to ports, comprehensive waterway service areas, and other ancillary facilities. He asked to step up the second and third phase construction, strengthening the building of a collection and distribution system integrating multi-modal transportation system of river and sea, as well as railway, highway, and waterway. Efforts should be made to continuously reduce the costs of social logistics and polish the brand calling card of "Chenglingji Port".
Governor Mao inspected the production dispatching center of Yugong Port.
Governor Mao learned about the port operation and the construction of the port industrial development zone at the center. He emphasized the necessity of taking the advantageous channels to attract and gather industries, and cultivate and enhance new quality productive forces such as logistics and commerce, high-end equipment manufacturing, advanced energy storage materials, and green food processing. We should continue to amplify the "golden benefits" of the "golden waterway", thereby helping nearby regions and residents to prosper, he added.
Photos taken by Liu Shangwen.
This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.
Translator: Yu Jiangjiang
Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn
