Chongqing Releases First Local Standard for Port Shoreline Measurement

On July 30, the Chongqing Municipal Transportation Commission organized a publicity meeting for the "Port Shoreline Calculation Specification" (referred to as the "Specification"), marking the beginning of the comprehensive implementation preparation phase for this local standard. The "Specification," led by the Chongqing Municipal Transportation Commission, was approved by the Municipal Market Regulation Bureau and announced on July 3. It will officially come into effect on October 1. This is Chongqing's first technical standard for port shoreline calculation under conditions of large water level differences, filling a gap in local standards in this field.

Chongqing is located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, where navigable rivers such as the Yangtze River, Jialing River, and Wu River experience significant water level differences. Taking the Chongqing section of the Yangtze River as an example, the high water level is 175 meters, and the low water level is 145 meters, resulting in a water level difference of up to 30 meters. Many port terminals adopt sloped or vertical structural designs to adapt to the characteristics of large water level differences. Traditional calculation methods struggle to accurately determine the length of shoreline usage, leading to a lack of unified technical standards for reviewing shoreline usage plans. The "Specification" is based on practical conditions and clarifies the basic principles, technical methods, and evaluation requirements for port shoreline calculation under large water level differences. It categorizes shoreline length calculation methods for different terminal layouts, such as alongshore, recessed, and sloped designs.

In recent years, Chongqing has continuously strengthened the construction of port shoreline management systems. Regulations and documents such as the "Chongqing Port Ordinance" and the "Implementation Rules for the Approval and Management of Port Shoreline Usage in Chongqing" have been introduced, creating a management system that covers the entire chain of approval, supervision, and enforcement. The introduction of the "Specification" fills a critical gap in technical standards, advancing port shoreline management from "having laws to govern what to manage" to "having standards to guide how to manage."

Currently, Chongqing is accelerating the construction of high-level port clusters led by Guoyuan Port, Longtou Port, Xintian Port, and Luohuang Port. By 2030, the city's port throughput capacity is expected to reach 270 million tons. The implementation of the "Specification" will provide technical guidance for scientifically determining shoreline lengths for port projects, promoting the efficient and economical use of shoreline resources from the source.

At the publicity meeting, the Chongqing Municipal Transportation Commission outlined the deployment of the publicity and implementation work for the "Specification": First, organize specialized training for port and shipping management agencies and transportation enforcement agencies across the city to ensure accurate understanding of the standard's content. Second, improve supporting measures and conduct rationality assessments strictly in accordance with the standard during the port shoreline usage approval process. Third, strengthen post-approval supervision by using video monitoring, automatic vessel identification systems, and other technological means to enhance dynamic monitoring of shoreline usage, and legally address violations such as "construction without approval" and exceeding the scope of shoreline usage.

The "Specification" provides a replicable and promotable "Chongqing experience" for managing similar port shorelines in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Next, the Chongqing Municipal Transportation Commission will continue to improve the port standard system, using standardization to lead high-quality port development and provide strong support for accelerating the construction of modern port clusters and establishing a shipping center in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.