The Phase II terminal at the Qujiang port area of Quzhou Port — located in Quzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province — was bustling with activity on Sept 9 as ships loaded with pulp, corn starch, and containers docked in a constant but orderly fashion.

Port machinery, including gantry cranes, operated without pause, while a variety of containers were neatly stacked in the yard.

"Our terminal's current daily cargo throughput is approximately 3,000 metric tons," said Lu Xialian, general manager of Quzhou Smart Port Development Co Ltd.

Since 2025, the Qujiang port area has been moving to establish itself as a pivotal inland hub in the Yangtze River Delta region. By Aug 31, the port area's container throughput had reached 10,137 twenty-foot equivalent units in the year to date, a 230.73 percent increase year-on-year.

The figure is double the total for the entire year of 2024, setting a new record since the opening of the port area.

A crane effortlessly lifts a consignment of cargo at the Qujiang port area. [Photo/Tide News]

A giant gantry crane loads container at the Qujiang port area. [Photo/Tide News]