International Cargo Seaport: Port of Tianjin

Located in Northern China, the Port of Tianjin belongs to the world’s busiest seaports list. It has a long history and fascinating information that can further expand your knowledge about this particular industry. Read more to find out more about this place!

About the Port of Tianjin

In addition to being one of North China’s principal shipping and logistics hubs, the Port of Tianjin is also the primary marine entrance to Beijing and the most prominent port in Northern China. It’s situated on the western side of the Bohai Bay riverbank and in the Binhai New Area region, approximately 60 kilometers east of Tianjin and 170 kilometers southeast of Beijing.

The port can also be found east of the Tianjin Economic-Technology Development Area (TEDA), one of the country’s national technological and economic development areas. Located by the seaside, TEDA has grown from 33 square kilometers to over 400 square kilometers over the years since its establishment in late 1984. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) once named TEDA “China’s Most Dynamic Region.”

The History

The Port of Tianjin was initially utilized in the first century BC under the Han dynasty (from 202 BC to 220 AD). The Tang dynasty (from 618 to 907 AD) started to build the port, even when the surrounding area was muddy and poorly drained.

The Ming dynasty (from 1368 to 1644) saw the construction of the much more modernized Port of Tianjin, especially when the Chinese capital was relocated to Beijing. The port developed as a critical commerce point to Beijing, prospering its economy and population thanks to rural immigration.

It turned into an even more crucial economic hub when the Qing dynasty began to rule in 1644. As interior waterways improved and canals connected rivers, trade volume thus increased—allowing the port to keep thriving as an important and busy shipping hub until the 20th century.

The Nationalists took over the harbor during the Chinese Civil War (from 1927 to 1949) or until the Communists gained control of it. It has since served as a significant economic and trade hub for the country, as well as the entrance to the People’s Republic of China’s capital (Chinese).

More about the Port of Tianjin

Besides holding the throne as the largest seaport in mainland China, the Port of Tianjin also ranked ninth in the world’s most extensive container port list in 2018. The port’s overall container volume in 2019 was recorded at 15.97 million TEUs, up 6.2 percent from the previous year. 2019 also saw the port concluding trading with over 600 ports and 180 territories and nations.

In the following year, they managed more than 10 million TEUs of containerized goods, placing them fourth in tonnage and twelfth in cargo traffic worldwide. Every day, they receive approximately 150 new ocean-going vessels.

We hope the information about the Port of Tianjin above gives you something new to know! Go ahead and try checking out our other informative port-related articles as well!