Xinhua Daily, Front Page | Serving the National Strategy, Constructing a New Outward Port - Datongzhou Bay is Getting Bigger

Release time：

2023-07-08

Coordinates: Tongzhou Bay main port area, three harbors, docks 1-3 construction site. Who could imagine that a year ago, standing here, there was nothing but ocean beneath our feet, and now a large port has emerged!

On July 5th, the reporter revisited the site after six months and was invigorated by the changes. Entering the port area and proceeding along the approach bridge, the navigation map shows that we are already in the sea. The reporter clearly remembers that at the end of last year, the gate about 3-4 kilometers from the embankment was the "endpoint", and in the distance, only a few piles were vaguely visible above the water. Now, after passing the gate and continuing to extend about 2 kilometers further into the sea, a wide-open area comes into view. The more than 10-meter-high port buildings have been topped out, the berths are lined up in a row, and the circular harbor opens its arms to embrace the blue... This is the location of the main port area of Jiangsu's new sea outlet, which boasts unique advantages in "railway, water, river, and sea" transportation.

"858 piles have been completely driven, and we are now entering the pile cap construction phase." Pang Yimin, deputy secretary of the Party General Branch of Nantong Port Group Construction Investment Co., Ltd., said that since driving the first pile in September 2022, the builders have braved the cold and heat, fighting against the wind and waves at the construction site. Due to offshore operations, work must be stopped in winds of level 6 or higher, and in winds of level 8 or higher, vessels, workers, and equipment must be evacuated, so the actual number of working days is only about 70% of the planned number. Pang Yimin stated that the underwater portion, which took the most time, has been completed, and the project will "change every week, and greatly change every month," ensuring that the first 200,000-ton dock in the Tongzhou Bay port area will be completed and opened in the first half of next year.

The builders are racing against time because they bear the responsibility of constructing Tongzhou Bay. In December 2019, the planning and construction of the new sea outlet in Tongzhou Bay was officially included in the Outline Development Plan for the Yangtze River Delta. In early 2020, Nantong coordinated the coastal development of the entire city, integrating Yangkou Port, Tongzhou Bay, Haimen Port, and Lushi Port along the 206-kilometer coastline to form "Greater Tongzhou Bay," promoting the implementation of national strategies in Nantong, Jiangsu. From its inception, Tongzhou Bay has combined multiple national strategies, including the Yangtze River Delta integration and Jiangsu's coastal development, and has been given the important positioning of Jiangsu's new sea outlet. The "greatness" of Tongzhou Bay lies in its region and function, and even more so in its thinking and pattern.

Entering the planning exhibition hall, the "Greater Tongzhou Bay" concept is visually presented on a wall-sized "map array"—an important growth pole for Nantong's high-quality development, an important carrier for optimizing Jiangsu's productivity layout, an important component of the Shanghai International Shipping Center, an important space for implementing the national strategy of the Yangtze River Delta integration, and an important measure for implementing the national dual-circulation new development pattern. From Nantong to the entire province, from the Yangtze River Delta to the whole country and the world, the coordinates are constantly expanding. Tongzhou Bay is not only the potential of "Nantong's good communication," but also an important component of the Yangtze River Delta integration and Jiangsu's new gateway for higher-level opening to the outside world.

"Integrating into the development pattern of Greater Tongzhou Bay and achieving high-quality development of the marine industry is the most important mission of the development and construction of Tongzhou Bay." Ding Feng, secretary of the Party Working Committee of the Tongzhou Bay Demonstration Zone, said that this year, the demonstration zone has emphasized three focuses: focusing on the function of river-sea intermodal transport to enhance hub capacity; focusing on the river-sea linkage strategy to enhance industrial capacity; and focusing on the river-sea embracing pattern to enhance urban capacity. Making good use of the advantages of deep-water ports, high-quality coastlines, vast hinterlands, and national strategies, we will strive to break through and forge ahead in the wave of high-quality coastal development where many are competing.

Seizing the opportunity in Tongzhou Bay and embracing great opportunities. A few years ago, a founding team of three from Fudan University started their business here, establishing Nantong Pine Intelligent Manufacturing Co., Ltd. When the reporter visited last year, the workshop still had ordinary commercial 3D printing equipment. In May of this year, the company's independently developed carbon fiber industrial-grade 3D printer and metal consumable 3D printer have begun mass production. The independently developed Raise Cloud system realizes cloud connectivity and remote production, paving a path for "software and hardware integration" innovative development. Long Wangping, general manager of the company, revealed good news about the company's development: "We are applying for land acquisition and will further expand the intelligent manufacturing base and move the Shanghai R&D center to Tongzhou Bay!"

"Currently, 15 projects are competing for the last two plots of land in Phase 1 of the park." Shi Hongjie, deputy secretary of the Party Working Committee and director of the Management Committee of the Tongzhou Bay Demonstration Zone, said that as an important "park" in the "five parks, one city, and one base" development layout, the High-end Equipment Coastal Industrial Park has a planned total area of 7.8 square kilometers and focuses on attracting high-end coastal industrial projects such as wind power equipment, marine engineering equipment, and aviation equipment. Although the threshold for entering the park is high, Phase 1 was "filled" as soon as it was launched. Project capital "voted with its feet," unanimously optimistic about Greater Tongzhou Bay. Statistics show that from January to May this year, most indicators such as the regional GDP, the total output value of above-scale industries, and fixed asset investment in the Tongzhou Bay Demonstration Zone ranked first among all areas in the city.

The great tide of the river and sea surges, shaking the north and south wings. Haimen Port is building a green, low-carbon, and circular economic system worth hundreds of billions of yuan, Yangkou Port is planning the country's largest LNG energy island, and Lushi Port is "busy from the moment it opens"... With a higher position and a broader vision for coordinating development, the "blueprint" of Greater Tongzhou Bay is accelerating the creation of a real-world picture.

"National strategic new highland, Tongzhou Bay connecting rivers and seas"—standing in front of the huge sign on the coastal road, Ding Feng is full of passion, "Stepping onto the new track of high-quality development and serving the construction of the new development pattern, Greater Tongzhou Bay has become even 'greater'!"

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