Jiangsu Province added 28 ports recognized for sustainable development in last year, and Nanjing, capital city of the province, has made outstanding progress in driving the port’s eco-friendly development. 

The coastal province has promoted shore power utilization for cargo vessels and facilitated the conversion from gasoline-fueled to natural gas-powered vehicle, which have contributed to the falling of carbon emissions at ports and improved the environment at such sites.  

One example is the Nanjing Port Longtan Container Terminal known for the clean and tidy operation area. He Qiuping, a transport law enforcement officer, said the terminal runs on green electricity and all ships calling at the port also use shore power. The container ship Wuxiang 16, berthed at the terminal, is powered by LNG with its carbon emissions plummeted compared to the past. 

The Nanjing section of the Yangtze River is 97 kilometers long, with a total natural shoreline of 298 kilometers and a planned shipping line of 62.5 kilometers. There are 53 enterprises operating along the river section, with 188 berths and an annual throughput capacity of 198 million tons. 

The rapid development of ports has caused serious environmental problems, and the green port initiative is a way to achieve carbon neutrality. Progress has been made in improving the environment along the shoreline and at ports. Nanjing is home to seven of all ‘green ports’ in Jiangsu, according to He. 

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