Recently, the Ministry of Transport issued the Notice on the Announcement of the Pilot Projects (First Batch) of Port Functionality Optimization and Enhancement for Building a Strong Transportation Nation. The notice unveiled the first batch of 14 pilot projects aimed at optimizing and enhancing the functionality of ports for building a strong transportation nation. These pilot projects are expected to be completed and assessed by the end of December 2025. Four of the pilot projects are ports in Shandong, including Qingdao Port, Yantai Port, Ji'ning Port, and Zaozhuang Port.

The notice proposed that, based on the existing port terminals and in pursuit of professional upgrading, intensive efficiency enhancement, smart empowerment, and green quality improvement, efforts should be made to explore new technologies, methods, models, and scenarios in the functionality transformation and capacity improvement of terminals as well as the smart, green, and low-carbon transformation of ports.

The pilot projects will also focus on new business formats and models. Clean energy supply diversification in ports will be demonstrated, aiming to establish a new energy consumption structure for ports and promote the integrated development of transportation and energy. This will also accelerate the transformation of old port areas and promote port-city integration and the integrated development of transportation and tourism.