On November 24, the Shenzhen Maritime Safety Administration and Yantian District People's Government of Shenzhen jointly held the Shenzhen International Conference on Shipping Safety and Development. Lawrence Shum, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports YANTIAN, was invited to deliver a speech titled Building Green: From Corporate Responsibility to Development Opportunity.

Chan Yaodong, Deputy Director General of General Office of Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and Level I Inspector, Huang Jungeng, the Party Secretary and Director General of CPC Leadership Group of Shenzhen Maritime Safety Administration, Li Zhong, Secretary of the CPC Yantian District Committee, Guo Xiubin, Deputy Director of Shenzhen Maritime Safety Administration and Level I Inspector, Xu Honglei, Deputy Director of Transport Planning and Research Institute of the Ministry of Transport, Zeng Jianpeng, Su Feng and other officials of Yantian District attended the conference.

The focal point of this year's conference is "Intelligence and Safety". In a groundbreaking move, the conference is jointly organized by the maritime regulatory authority and local government for the first time. Esteemed representatives from globally renowned shipping companies, industry associations, and diverse sectors have been invited to participate in discussions concerning cutting-edge technologies, the application of artificial intelligence in the port and shipping sector, and the development and future prospects of smart shipping.

In his address, Lawrence Shum underscored the significance of green development. Recognized three times in four years as the "Best Green Container Terminal", YANTIAN stands as a trailblazer in pollution and carbon reduction. Over the past decade, with a 33% increase in throughput, we have concurrently achieved a commendable 25% reduction in carbon emissions. Through collaborative efforts with shipping companies and cargo owners, YANTIAN is proactively engaged in emission reduction initiatives, actively seizing opportunities for sustainable development.

An efficient hub port
YANTIAN is recognized as a preferred port-of-call for mega-vessels and serves as an international shipping hub within the Greater Bay Area. Leveraging our exceptional natural advantages, including the unique channel of approximately 18-metre-deep and 475-metre-wide, we offer extensive, fast, and premium services as well as eco-friendly multimodal logistics solutions for our customers, strongly supporting the international trade development of China. YANTIAN's commitment to efficient and high-quality port services results in reduced vessel turnaround time, lower energy consumption, and a seamless alignment with vessel schedule.

International bonded fuel supply service
Yantian Port is the fourth in the world and the first in South China equipped with LNG bunkering capabilities. Currently, we are pioneering an innovative LNG bunkering process in Shenzhen, which allows bunkering operations at the quayside simultaneous with loading and unloading activities. We have built a robust partnership with the Dapeng LNG Corridor, known for having the strongest LNG loading and unloading capacity in China. The objective is to establish a competitive LNG bunkering centre in East Asia.

Leading China in shore power supply
YANTIAN has been at the forefront of applying shore power in China since 2015. Currently, our shore power coverage rate stands impressively at 85%, leading ports in China in annual power supply. In 2019, we contributed to a substantial 66% of the shore power supply for coastal container terminals in China. In 2022, YANTIAN proudly claims the highest shore power supply among our domestic counterparts. This not only results in significant cost savings for shipping companies but also plays a crucial role in effectively reducing carbon emissions. YANTIAN is committed to the ongoing enhancement of our shore power facilities. As part of our future initiatives, all berths in the East Port of YANTIAN will adopt shore power facilities.

Abundant intermodal transport solutions
Rail transport, with its potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 88% compared to road transport, stands as an environmentally friendly alternative. In 2022, the Pingyan rail-sea intermodal service saw an 11% year-on-year increase, resulting in a substantial reduction of over 58,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. At present, YANTIAN has 8 port alliances within the Greater Bay Area, along with 16 feeder services, 12 inland ports, and 31 rail-sea intermodal services, which serve regions such as the Greater Bay Area, Central China, and Southwest China. Notably, our rail-sea intermodal service recorded an impressive cumulative year-on-year growth of 12% in container volume during the first 10 months of this year.

Going green
The East Port of YANTIAN under construction also adheres to YANTIAN's high-level standard in port construction and is taking a new step forward in the smart and green development. It uses new energy sources with photovoltaics installed on top of sheds of gatehouses and maintenance workshops. It also adopts a sponge city design, which not only prevents flooding but also collects rainwater and reuses it. In terms of the terminal design, the maximum wind speed of the quay cranes to withstand is 70.7m/s (over level-17 wind), even in view of the high tide brought by super typhoon, heavy wind and strong waves, the terminal will be free of seawater backflow. The design of the East Port also highlights intelligence to build a smart and future-oriented terminal.

Yantian District, whose existence and prosperity are intertwined with the sea, boasts distinctive advantages for marine development. With a sea area of approximately 23.80 square kilometers and a coastline spanning 30.62 kilometers, Yantian District seizes opportunities propelled by the development of the Greater Bay Area and Socialist Pilot Demonstration Zone. Recognising the sea as both the cornerstone for establishment and the essential element for flourishing, Yantian District is firmly committed to its marine-centric growth.

Throughout this year, Yantian District has been significantly expanding its influence as the core of a global marine centre. Anchored by Yantian Port, over 1,400 marine transportation enterprises have clustered to form a comprehensive port logistics and transportation service system that encompasses warehousing, transportation, freight forwarding, shipping agency, logistics, loading and unloading, and transshipment. The port's outreach capacity has continually strengthened. In 2023, YANTIAN has received maiden voyages of 26 mega-vessels, setting a record in South China. From January to October, Yantian Port achieved a container throughput of 11.14 million TEU, accounting for a substantial share of the total throughput in Shenzhen. Moreover, we accomplished a bonded oil supply exceeding 300,000 tons and an LNG supply of 43,500 cubic meters during this period.

The Shenzhen International Conference on Shipping Safety and Development serves as a comprehensive platform to showcase Shenzhen's remarkable achievements in marine economic development. It aims to enhance international exchanges and cooperation, strengthen ties with the global shipping community, and identify strategies to improve Shenzhen's international competitiveness in marine economics. The event also facilitates a broader understanding among marine authorities and local governments of global trends in the marine industry. These profound insights equip them to precisely comprehend the diverse demands and introduce support measures to promote the high-quality development of the marine economy. Looking ahead, YANTIAN remains steadfast on the advancement of the blue economy to support Shenzhen's accelerated establishment of a logistics centre with global influence.