Nantong strengthens maritime development
A wind farm in Nantong. [Photo/Xinhua Daily]
In Jiangsu province, eight cities line the banks of the Yangtze River, and three are positioned along the coastline; however, Nantong stands out due to its strategic location along the river and the Yellow Sea.
As the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30) begins, Nantong is broadening its horizons beyond the Yangtze River, focusing on expansive maritime development.
This shift was underscored during the national two sessions from March 4 to 12, when Nantong received a wave of encouraging updates on its maritime economy.
Among these developments is the launch of the world's first ultra-large self-propelled trailing suction hopper dredger, characterized by a distributed pump room design that sets new benchmarks for deep-sea dredging capabilities.
Jiangsu Shanghai-Nantong Container Terminal at the newly inaugurated Lyusi Port Area of Tongzhou Bay also achieved a record throughput of 35,000 twenty-foot equivalent units between January and February, marking a historic high for this period.
The 2026 Government Work Report outlines a plan to "strengthen, optimize, and expand the marine industry". Throughout the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Nantong is dedicated to executing national and provincial strategies to bolster the marine economy.
Key objectives include the accelerated development of a high-end, green coastal industrial base valued at 1 trillion yuan ($144.39 billion) and the establishment of a leading zone for high-quality marine industry development. This strategic focus is designed to elevate the coastal region's economic standing.
From the LNG storage tanks on Rudong Sunshine Island to the frequent launches of major maritime equipment from Qidong Marine Engineering Park, Nantong is emerging as a city with a strong maritime focus.
This year, the city aims to sign and register 200 key maritime projects, concentrating on building a modern marine industry system driven by marine equipment, advanced materials and new energy industries. By the end of 2030, the marine industry's total scale is projected to exceed 1.5 trillion yuan, with the gross ocean product surpassing 400 billion yuan.
Noteworthy is the national approval of the construction plan for the Yangtze River Estuary Industrial Innovation and Green Development Coordination Zone at the end of last year.
Transitioning from river-sea linkage to optimizing river-sea expansion and strengthening both river and sea development, Nantong's inherent advantages will provide robust support for unlocking its potential as a pivotal area for high-quality development in the province.
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