Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. [Photo/Yongpai app] 

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the world's busiest by cargo throughput for the past 17 years, is expanding beyond traditional shipping by investing in digital logistics, multimodal transport and green maritime technologies.

Located in East China's Zhejiang province, it handled more than 1.4 billion metric tons of cargo last year. But as global trade faces geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, the focus is increasingly shifting from scale to efficiency and resilience.

Earlier this year, rising freight rates linked to tensions in the Middle East put pressure on exporters. In response, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port launched an online support platform for affected foreign trade companies. The system, developed in seven days, has already served more than 1,600 companies and processed over 2,600 relief-related shipping orders.

The port is also becoming a key hub for bulk commodity logistics. Last year, China's first pilot program for differentiated customs inspections of imported recycled metals was launched in Ningbo, helping manufacturers shorten customs clearance times. In April, Zhejiang completed its first ship-to-ship bonded green methanol bunkering operation at the port, allowing vessels to refuel more efficiently.

At the same time, Ningbo is accelerating the integration of sea, rail, air and inland logistics networks through a digital platform known as the Four-Port Linkage System. This combines transport and cargo data across different modes of shipping, helping companies improve their route planning and logistics coordination.

New transport corridors are also reshaping cargo flows. Rail-sea freight services linking inland Chinese cities with Ningbo-Zhoushan Port are reducing delivery times and logistics costs for exporters, while the port's shipping network now connects more than 200 countries and regions worldwide.

The port is also advancing low-carbon shipping. In April, China's first 10,000-ton fully electric container ship entered service from Ningbo, marking another step in the maritime industry's transition toward cleaner transport.