Recently, the Ministry of Transport and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly issued the "Notice on Further Doing a Good Job in the 400,000-ton Iron Ore Terminal" (Jiaoplanfa [2020] No. 68). The notice pointed out that after perfecting the facilities such as the sparse port railway and the access channel, anchorage, slewing water and other conditions that match the unloading capacity, and after completing the relevant procedures such as completion inspection, port operation permit, etc., it can rely on 400,000 tons For iron ore ships, no additional approval procedures are required. Specifically: the ore berth of Yantai West Port Phase I project, Rizhao Lanshan Port District Lanqiao Ore Berth, Rizhao Iron and Steel Base Project supporting ore berth and Ningde Sandu Aogang District Chengao Operation Area No. 1 ore berth.

In addition, the "Notice" also stated that new unloading capacity should be added in an orderly manner. In the near future, it is possible to focus on adding a berth to each of Zhanjiang Port, Lianyungang Port, and Meizhou Bay Port where national steel industry layout or regional transportation needs are urgent.

China is the world's largest consumer and importer of iron ore. Since 2010, China's crude steel output has increased from 627 million tons in 2010 to 996 million tons in 2019, an increase of 58.9% and a compound annual growth rate of 5.3%. The demand for iron ore has also increased year by year. According to data from Ping An Securities Research Institute, Hebei, Jiangsu, and Shandong are the top three provinces for crude steel production in 2018, and the three provinces accounted for 44.5% of the country's total crude steel production. Guangdong and Jiangxi in the south are also the top 10 provinces for crude steel production. From the perspective of iron ore demand, the Bohai Rim region has the largest demand, and the demand for iron ore in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions should not be underestimated.

After the adjustment of the layout of the 400,000-ton iron ore ship terminal, Qingdao Port, Yantai Port and Rizhao Port (600017), the three major ports in Shandong, will be allowed to unload 400,000-ton iron ore ships. As a private enterprise, Lanqiao Port also The ability to "share a slice of soup" will steadily upgrade the iron ore transportation system and the development of the iron and steel industry in the Bohai Rim region. Sanduao Port in Fujian and Zhanjiang Port, Lianyungang Port, and Meizhou Bay Port, which are considering adding 400,000 tons of berths, will eventually improve the regional layout of iron ore transportation and balance the development of iron ore transportation between North and South. .

Prior to this, there were 4 ports (Dalian Port, Tangshan Port, Qingdao Port, Ningbo Zhoushan Port) in total, and a total of 7 berths can receive 400,000 tons of ore ships. After the addition of 4 berths this time, China has a total of 8 major ports and 11 berths have been approved to unload 400,000 tons of iron ore ships. It embodies the high level of attention at the national level and is a major deployment made by the country from the development status of my country's coastal port iron ore transportation system and the needs of my country's steel industry layout and development. The iron ore transportation system in the Bohai Rim and the development of the steel industry will be steadily upgraded. Sanduao Port in Fujian and Zhanjiang Port, Lianyungang Port, and Meizhou Bay Port, which are considering adding 400,000 tons of berths, will eventually improve the regional layout of iron ore transportation and balance the development of iron ore transportation between North and South. .

In general, the layout adjustment of the Ministry of Transport is not only to meet the needs of ports under the trend of large-scale ship development, but also to standardize the development and construction of 400,000 tons of iron ore terminals. Ships are getting bigger and bigger, more and more cargo, and the ability to unload is getting stronger and stronger. For Chinese ports that have "dominated the world", compared with the record-breaking beautiful numbers, perhaps we need more and more Complete and detailed overall planning to ensure the healthy transformation and development of Chinese ports. Editor/Peng Xue