The Yangshan Deep-Water Port in Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area has set a new record, handling 14.026 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers in the first half of 2025, marking a 7.3-percent year-on-year increase, according to the port's maritime authority.

That number accounts for 51.9 percent of Shanghai Port's total container throughput, becoming the primary growth engine for the port's continuous rise.

An aerial view of Yangshan Port's container terminal. [Photo/WeChat ID: pdnews]

In the first six months of this year, Yangshan Port safely handled 4,620 international container vessel calls, up 4.6 percent year-on-year, including 704 calls by ultra-large container vessels with a carrying capacity of 18,000 TEUs or more. The number of domestic feeder vessel calls reached 8,803, a 6.8-percent increase, with boosts seen in both mainline and feeder vessel traffic.

To cope with high vessel traffic, the Yangshan Port maritime bureau focused on safety and efficiency, implementing innovative measures such as two-way navigation, dual-berth operations, and dual-window departures. These initiatives significantly improved channel traffic efficiency and reduced vessel idle times at berths.

Additionally, the bureau optimized anchorages and advanced vessel anchoring during poor visibility, ensuring smooth operations on foggy days. For feeder vessels, dual-berth operations doubled berth utilization rates, while refined measures minimized disruptions during strong winds.

Looking ahead, Yangshan Port plans to explore triple-berth operations during all tidal periods, further boosting its development and solidifying Shanghai's position as a global shipping hub.