Report: Cities experience soaring port economy output last year

Friday, June 5, 2026

Chinese seaport cities generated a combined port economy value of 7 trillion yuan ($1.03 trillion) in 2025, contributing 13.6% of their total economic output, while inland river port cities added 2.7 trillion yuan, accounting for 9.7% of their economy. This highlights the vital role of ports in driving industrial growth and modernization, with future plans focused on integrating port, industry, and urban development through smart and green technologies.

In 2025, Chinese seaport cities reported a combined added value of 7 trillion yuan (approximately $1.03 trillion) from their port economies, according to a recent report released by a research institute affiliated with China’s Ministry of Transport. The findings were shared during an international shipping industry expo held in Tianjin, a major northern coastal municipality.

The report offers a detailed assessment of port-related economic activity in both China’s main seaport cities and inland river port cities. It defines the port economy as the collective economic activities directly linked to port operations and associated industries.

Port-related economic activity accounted for 13.6 percent of the total economic output in major Chinese seaport cities. In inland river port cities, the added value of the port economy was 2.7 trillion yuan, representing 9.7 percent of their overall economic output during the same period.

In these inland river port cities, strategic emerging industries expanded rapidly last year, particularly in chemical manufacturing, electronic equipment production, and automobile manufacturing. These sectors comprised 19.7 percent of the secondary industry’s port-related economic output, contributing significantly to industrial upgrading and transformation in inland areas.

Liu Xin, president of the Ministry of Transport’s transport planning and research institute, emphasized that China will prioritize high-quality development in its port economy moving forward. Liu highlighted ongoing efforts to foster integrated development among ports, industries, and cities, as well as advancing smart and green port construction driven by technological innovation.

The report also noted that ports have played an essential role in supporting secondary industry growth in coastal cities. Rapid expansion was evident in strategic emerging sectors such as computer, communication, and electronic equipment manufacturing, with ports facilitating the industrial modernization of hinterland regions.

Overall, the findings underscore the critical importance of ports as economic hubs that not only drive local economic output but also support broader industrial advancement across both coastal and inland regions of China.