Maritime Silk Road | Xiamen Port: A “Celebrity” Destination for Global Giant Ships

At the beginning of April, the world's largest container ship developed by China - MSC IRINA - made its maiden voyage to Xiamen port, refreshing the historical record of giant?ships calling Xiamen port. Xiamen port is one of the rare?natural deep-water harbors in the world that meet the requirements of all-weather access to 200,000-ton ships, which?is a "celebrity" destination for global giant ships.

Xiamen Harbor?Areas

Xiamen Port, opened in 1843, is an important natural port of?the southeast coast of China with superior natural advantages. The harbor is surrounded by large and small islands such as Jinmen Island, forming a natural barrier, with?the waters wide, water deep and waves small, no freezing?and silting. The existing anchorage area is 18.99 square kilometers and the planned anchorage area is 52 square kilometers. The total length of the approach?channel is about 40.3 km?with the water depth 14 m.?100,000-ton ships can leave the port on the tide. Xiamen port consists of 10 harbor?areas, including Dongdu, Haicang, Xiangan, Zhaoyin, Houshi, Shima, Gulai, Dongshan, Yunxiao and Zhaoan.

Xiamen Port has a total channel length of about 720 km, including 340 km?of coastal channels, 380 km?of inland waterways, and 154 km?of deep?water channels for?the over?10,000-ton ships.?The 200,000-ton level main channel has a water depth of -16.6 to -17.1 m,?with?bottom width of 490 to 560 m, which can meet the requirements of double-lane navigation for 200,000-ton and 150,000-ton container ships combined with full tide, as well as the?double-lane navigation between 200,000 tons container ships and 200,000 tons bulk carriers.

Xiamen?Quay Berths

Xiamen Port has built 175 productive?berths, including 80 berths above 10,000 tons (including 19 berths above 100,000 tons, 5 berths for 200,000 tons of containers with?3 at Songyu Terminal and 2 at Yuanhai Terminal).?The comprehensive?throughput capacity?of cargo is?184 million tons, including 11 million TEU of containers.?It has special terminals for containers, tankers, oil, coal, etc., with a maximum berthing capacity of?200,000 tons.

Historical Status

During the Yuan Dynasty, Xiamen port was?a famous military port.?During the Ming Dynasty, Xiamen port and Zhangzhou?Yue?port became the main port for maritime trade, with 10 shipping routes. The Chinese merchant ships to the Philippines imported and exported about 1.5 million golden?coin?each year.?In the Qing Dynasty, the port was accessible to Taiwan, Japan, Lvzon?and the center of?all places in?Southeast Asia, which?was the general exit for going abroad?of Fujian Province, with connecting more than 30 countries and regions in the east and west of South China Sea. After the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing, Xiamen was opened as one of the five trading ports. It?is a more advanced comprehensive terminal in modern times.

Modern Trade Status

In 2018, "Silk Road Maritime" was launched from Xiamen Port, which?is the first international integrated logistics service brand and platform?of the?"Belt and Road"?with the theme of shipping in China. Xiamen Port has become the 14th largest port in the world from a small regional feeder port, which is a testimony to the great development of Chinese shipping?industry?in the past 40 years of reform and opening up. As a node port of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Xiamen Port has ushered in new historical opportunities.

The main import and export goods?of Xiamen Port are bulk & general cargo such as?steel, fertilizers, grains, sugar, salt, tea, graphite powder, etc. It is worth noting that Xiamen Port implements compulsory pilotage for foreign ships entering and leaving the port. All foreign ships arriving and leaving Xiamen Port must be served as "temporary captains" by Chinese pilots who are familiar with the channel?and hydrological conditions, and command the deployment of tugboats to assist ships in safely berthing and leaving the port. If you need to contact a?pilot station?or?berth in?Xiamen Port, E-PORTS will provide you with corresponding port services and a one-stop ship service platform to escort you when entering and exiting Xiamen Port!