Preliminary Feasibility Study of Constructing A Sea-exit Course for the Qiantang River, compiled by Zhejiang Institute of Hydraulics and Estuary which has been entrusted with the work by the Hangzhou Development and Reform Committee and the municipal communications bureau, has passed preliminary review recently. It means that the construction of Qiantang River sea-exit course has made an important step. Hangzhou as a major coastal city in China is expected to has its own mid-sized port and sea-going ships.

"The prosperity of port means the prosperity of the city". As early as 20 years ago some experts in Hangzhou put forward the idea of constructing a sea-exit course for the Qiantang River. However, the idea has never been implemented. Currently there are few sea transportation ships passing the estuary of the Qiantang River. A great deal of resources, equipment and products imported and exported by Hangzhou and surrounding regions have to be transported via land routes. It not only entails much higher costs than sea transportation and reduces the competitiveness of the products, but also brings about pressure on the transportation system.

As the economic integration of the Yangtze Delta region picks up speed in recent years social and economic development of Hangzhou also entered a fast lane. To build its own mid-sized seaport has become the wish of enterprises in Hangzhou and attracted the high attention of the provincial and municipal governments. In their plan to "build a strong province (city) through water transportation" both the Zhejiang province and Hangzhou city brought forward the idea of constructing a sea-exit course in Hangzhou.

As learned the sea transportation port of the Qiantang River will be oriented toward a "feeding port". Its routes will mainly go to the Shanghai Port and the Ningbo Port. As the Yangshan deep water port of the Shanghai International Shipping Center is completed and the international lines of the Ningbo Port increase Hangzhou will become one of the radiation hinterlands of the two ports while the sea-exit course of the Qiantang River will be the most convenient passageway to link the two ports.

By People's Daily Online