Reporters from “Jing Chu Tour” Yichang group: Yu Jie, Li Derong, Zhang Qing, Zhang Lian

　　In Yichang, 23 logistics enterprises were named as the national A level. 21 were listed as provincial level key logistics enterprises. In the Three Gorges reservoir, logistics enterprises from neighboring regions can arrive in middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River region. They can even reach abroad by water transportation…

　　Yichang, known as “the Three Gorges portal”, “the throat of Chongqing and Hubei”, plays a pivotal role in connecting east with west and linking up south and north. After the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, the Three Gorges Reservoir became the best shipping waters. However, the existing organization of the Three Gorges shipping does not give full play to the advantages of the shipping in the Three Gorges reservoir. Limited by the scale of the Three Gorges ship lock and midstream channel, it is estimated that the total demand of the three gorges brake hub will reach 0.17 billion tones and the passing ability is 0.126 billion tones in 2020. The total demand of the three gorges brake hub will reach 0.32 billion tones in 2030, while the passing ability is 0.14 billion tones. The huge shipping capacity of the Yangtze River will lay idle.

　　How to make full use of the 237 kilometers golden water resources? Yichang municipal party committee and the municipal government discussed and adopted “Work Plan of Accelerating the Development of the Three Gorges Hub Port”, which marks the starting point of the Three Gorges East Chittagong era.

　　The Three Gorges hub port project is a test for the rules and layout capabilities of Hubei Province and Yichang. In January 2014, the executive meeting of the municipal government passed “the Development Plan of the Three Gorges Hub Port”. This plan aims at accelerating the construction of the Three Gorges hub port according to the overall arrangement of the taking the Yangtze River as the main axis of development, the Qingjiang River and Xiangxi River as the two wings of development, the 9 operating regions including Maopin, Taipingxi, Honghuatao, Yunchi, Baiyang, Tianjiahe, Zhicheng, Qixingtai, Xiakou and the Yangtze River Three Gorges International Cruise Center as the key point. The development plan is "the fourth generation" shipping center oriented, highlights the double dam transshipment port, industrial output port, the Three Gorges tourism port and the western harbor. The plan makes the Three Gorges hub port become a cluster port with an economic corridor worth of trillions RMB along the Yangtze River, a port of shipping unimpeded transshipment, a port with characteristics in the middle reaches of the Yangtze urban agglomeration.

　　It is not enough to build the “Water Highway” only by port. In order to ensure the functioning of the Three Gorges Hub Port, Yichang is accelerating the construction of the main artery along the river, Jiangbei Fanba expressway and Yi Yue expressway. It will achieve the abutting joint of Fanba Port with shanghai-Chengdu Railway, Shanghai-Chongqing Railway and Yichang-Wanzhou Railway etc. Yichang will also accelerate the construction of  Baoyi Expressway, Yizhang Expressway, Yilai Expressway, Shenglongjia Expressway and Yiwan Expressway, upgrade the 241 State Road from Hohhot to North Sea, launch the construction of Zhengyu Railway and Yishi Railway, solve the problem of “the last mile” which restricts the development of the port, achieve the abutting joint of the key port with railway, promote the across river development and accelerate the construction of Xiangxi Yangtze River Bridge, Baiyang Yangtze River Bridge and Miaozui Yangtze River Bridge.

　　As planned, the Three Gorges Hub Port can cooperate with Chongqing Port, take advantage of the new Eurasia land bridge “Yuxingou Railway” and carry out the comprehensive transportation service. It can cooperate with Nantong Port to form “virtual combined port” by capital ties. It can cooperate with Jingzhou port and Badong port to establish “Yijinbba combined port”. The Three Gorges Hub Port can also strengthen strategic cooperation with Shanghai Port. To 2015, the basic framework of the port “one center, four districts” will be formed. The city\'s port handling capacity will reach 90 million tons, 1 million teus. The medium-term will end in 2020, the port logistics, shipping services and port-centered industry will develop in coordination. complete the planning and construction of New Port District, the basic functions will be achieved. The city\'s port handling capacity will reach 150 million tons, 2 million teus.

　　The solid foundation highlights their confidence, and careful plan shows their determination. In the post Three Gorges era, the Three Gorges Hub Port will turn into an important Strategic fulcrum for the Yangtze River economic zone and the development of regional economy. The strategic position of the Three Gorges Hub Port will rise with the rapid economic development of Yichang.