Yangpu Port aims to become an international hub through its innovative measures.
A container ship leaves Yangpu Port.
On the docks of Yangpu, on the northwest tip of Hainan Island, imposing port cranes are busy loading and unloading containers from cargo ships.
Since the special customs operation on the entire island, the port has experienced unprecedented growth. The piloting service, a key indicator of this vitality, recorded growth of 20% over one year. “Now, half of the international ships we support exceed 200 m in length,” explains Lin Hongpin, head of the Hainan maritime pilot station in Yangpu.
This development is explained by the strategic positioning of Yangpu as the spearhead of the Hainan Free Trade Port (PLEH). Driven by bold opening policies, the area aims to transform its deep-water port into an international logistics hub.
Rapid development
Yangpu’s development is linked to both its geographical assets and national strategic planning.
Conveniently located on Hainan’s most favorable deep-water coastline, the port is just twenty nautical miles from major international shipping lanes, making it a strategic passage between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. However, its development has long been hampered by structural deficiencies. When it was established in 1992, the Yangpu Economic Development Zone had only two 10,000-ton berths, with an annual throughput of less than one million tons.
The year 2018 marks a historic break with the launch of PLEH. In a master plan for the construction of the PLEH published in June 2020, Yangpu is cited seven times, establishing itself as a “pilot zone” and the essential “demonstration showcase” of the project.
The physical transformations are striking. Deng Xiaolong, journalist at Yangpu TV, has been following this metamorphosis since 2016. “Before, only container ships of 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes could dock. Today, with a quay front extending over nearly 2,000 m, the terminal regularly welcomes sea giants of 150,000 and 200,000 tonnes,” he explains.
Performance indicators confirm this spectacular development. Su Zhuoyi, director of the Remote Control Center at Hainan Harbor & Shipping International Port, recalls that in 2018, the terminal had only four gantries for an annual traffic of 200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). In 2025, thanks to the multiplication of equipment, the throughput has crossed the 3 million TEU mark. “Our ambitions don’t stop there,” he says.
According to official statistics, in 2025, Yangpu Port handled 85.948 million tons of cargo, an increase of 29.64% year-on-year. Of these, more than half represented foreign trade, an increase of 12.82% year-on-year. These record performances directly demonstrate the political and economic dividends generated by the PLEH.
Presentation of the first registration certificate “Yangpu Port – China” to the COSCO Shipping vessel Xing Wang. A historic milestone that concretizes the maritime transport policies of the Hainan Free Trade Port.
Institutional innovation
The real driving force behind Yangpu’s development lies in institutional innovation, of which the ship registration system is crucial.
In accordance with the national strategy, Yangpu has established a new generation maritime register, aligned with the most demanding international standards. This system offers a series of preferential measures, including a total exemption from customs duties on the importation of transport vessels for PLEH companies. Additionally, locally built vessels dedicated to international transportation benefit from export tax rebates, while eligible businesses and individuals benefit from a reduced tax rate of 15% for corporate and personal income.
These policies quickly attracted shipping companies. According to Ge Liqiao, director of maritime development promotion of the Hainan International Maritime Registry Administration, various services have been offered to facilitate the process. Thanks to the deployment of a “one-stop shop” and support from dedicated agents, the volume of documents required for ship registration has fallen by 60%. This responsiveness now raises Yangpu to the same level of efficiency as the strongholds of Singapore and Hong Kong. At the end of 2025, the port dominated the national ranking with 82 international ships registered under its flag, representing a capacity of more than 7.6 million deadweight tonnes.
Institutional innovation extends to other port operations. “Goods may be shipped in batches first, and there is a grace period of more than a month for declaration,” said Song Pengjun, deputy director of the planning and operations department of SINOPEC Hainan Petrochemical. This initiative has significantly improved customs clearance efficiency and capital turnover.
A chemical tanker docks at the free port of Yangpu on December 18, 2025.
International network
With strong infrastructure and favorable policies, Yangpu Port is accelerating the development of its global shipping network to establish itself as an important regional hub.
Currently, the port operates 65 domestic and international trade routes. Its domestic network ensures seamless connectivity with China’s major coastal ports, the Beibu Gulf and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Internationally, the port has opened new direct sea connections to the East and West coasts of the United States, as well as to western South America, filling Hainan’s lack of intercontinental shipping routes. This opening is complemented by a strategic twinning with the port of Abu Dhabi, consolidating trade with the Middle East and by a dense network now covering the entire Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) area.
Yangpu’s rapid development often prompts comparisons with the port of Singapore. Chen Qi, deputy director of the Yangpu Investment Promotion Bureau, notes that this is an incomplete interpretation. Far from a simple rivalry, the two entities favor a strategy of complementarity and increased collaboration. This synergy is materialized by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Hainan Harbor & Shipping International Port and the Singaporean giant PSA International. This partnership aims to optimize operational efficiency and increase maritime routes, thus creating a preferred logistics corridor for trade between China and ASEAN.
The transformation of Yangpu Port clearly illustrates China’s broader opening-up in the new era. Thanks to the special island-wide customs operation, this deep-water port is making strides towards its goal of becoming a world-class port.
