On 19 December 2008, YICT was named a "National Excellent Taxpaying, Import and Export Performance Enterprise with Foreign Investment" for 2007 by China's Ministry of Commerce and
On 19 December, 2008, YICT welcomed the COSCO Oceania, a container vessel deployed by COSCO for direct cross-strait shipping.
On 9 December 2008, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) officially named YICT as an International Sanitary Port.
On 4 December 2008, Shenzhen Yantian Port Group (YPG) and Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) signed a Heads of Agreement (HoA) for the joint construction and development of the Shenzhen Yantian East Port
On 27 November 2008, the first barge deployed to the new "Zhongshan-Yantian Express Service" left Zhongshan for Yantian.
On 15 November 2008, during the 15th Anniversary Celebration of Motorola University-China, YICT was awarded for "Best Six Sigma Practice" in a list of commendations for excellent participants and instructors in Six Sigma implementation.
On 20 November 2008, the Shaoguan-Yantian Container Rail Service Agreement was officially signed by representatives from YICT, the Shaoguan Municipal Government, Guangzhou Railway Group and China Railway Container Transport Corporation (Guangzhou).
On 13 November 2008, YICT was named as China's best container terminal in terms of efficiency of operations, and one of China's Top 10 container terminals in terms of comprehensive services and technology innovation at the China Freight Industry Awards Ceremony.
On 7 November 2008, YICT and CMA CGM launched a joint promotion drive at Yantian to introduce the new French Asia Line 4 (FAL4) service.
On 3 November 2008, YICT welcomed the commencement of the Asia-Europe Service 3 (AES3) Westbound service operated by the CKYH Alliance (COSCO, "K"Line, Yang Ming and Hanjin).
On 3 November 2008, the "Al Rawdah", deployed by the United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) to its new EU service, made its inaugural call at Yantian.