Huang Chuping gave a high praise to the achievements gained by Wuhan Port and Shipping Development Group Co. Ltd, and said that in recent years, with resources continuously integrated and comprehensive strength sustainably enhanced, Wuhan Port and Shipping Development Group Co. Ltd. has grown into an important group along the Yangtze River. Currently, Hubei is endeavoring to build itself into a shipping center along the middle reaches of Yangtze River by seizing the opportunities of opening-up and development of Yangtze River Economic Zone and urban agglomeration construction along the middle reaches of Yangtze River. With the integration of the Three Gorges Eco-economic Cooperation Zone and the Three Gorges comprehensive transportation system into the 13th Chinese Five-Year Plan, Yichang is accelerating its pace of infrastructure construction, continuing to enhance resources integration, and is engaging in the construction of six-in-one transportation network, including train, waterway, highway, air, pipeline and internet transportation, to build a shipping logistics Center in Three Gorges area.. The realization of these goals calls for the generous investment from port and shipping enterprises. It is hoped that the Wuhan Port and Shipping Development Group Co. Ltd. can seize the opportunities, focus on key items, and scientifically plan to further strengthen the integration of resources and accelerate its own development, meanwhile, deepen exchanges and cooperation with Yichang and increase the investment in Yichang to promote win-win development.

 

　　Xie Zongxiao expressed his appreciation for the exciting and encouraging achievement of Yichang. He said that Yichang is an indispensible part and a key hub between the maritime centers of the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River. In the past, it used to be a strategically important battleground and now it becomes a commercial one. Wuhan Port and Ship Development Group Co. Ltd. will take the advantage of rapid development to seek for investment opportunities and further intensive cooperation with Yichang.

 

　　At the signing ceremony, Lan Yin (deputy mayor of Yichang) and Wang Yanghong, on behalf of the municipal government and Hubei Provincial Port and Ship Bureau respectively, signed the Memorandum on Jointly Promoting Yichang Water Transportation Construction and Development of the 13th Five-Year Plan. Wang Yanghong hoped that Yichang could speed up its development of Three Gorges Shipping Logistics Center by clear waterways, interconnected transportation hubs, smooth inflow into sea, unobstructed roads between city and harbor and quick customs declaration and inspection, and could strengthen its port and shipping infrastructure construction, the realization of joint transportation on railway and water need acceleration, and the improvement of its high-end shipping service after the completion of  transportation system over dam in Three Gorges.

 

　　According to the memorandum, Hubei Provincial Port and Shipping Bureau will strongly support the construction of high-level waterways in Yichang, accelerate the construction of tributary waterways, like Qingjiang River, Xiangxihe River and Three Gorges Reservoir, strive to support Yichang to play the role of pivot city in Three Gorges, push forward the construction of key ports and boost their scale, specialization and modernization, vigorously support the shipping development of Yichang, take Yichang as an important pivot to bolster Wuhan Yangtze River Shipping Center and take it into the plan of Wuhan Shipping Center, and vigorously support the general plan and revision of ports in Yichang.

 

　　It’s  reported that during the period of the 13th  Five-Year Plan, Yichang will fully push forward, with the construction of Three Gorges pivot port as the key one, its integrated  development of ports, waterways, logistics, industries and city., and more than 14 billion yuan would be invested in port and shipping for the realization of  “Big port of 100 million tons of shipment and millions of TEU, combined shipping pivot, thriving port and flourishing city”.

 

　　During their visit in Yichang, the delegation headed by Xie Zongxiao and Wang Yanghong have also investigated Yichang key ports and shipping enterprises in Baiyang Port and Maoping Port as well as visited Yichang Planning Exhibition Hall, and they were accompanied by Chen Bohu, the director of Wuhan Port Group Co. Ltd. and Ma Xuejun, member and Secretary General of Municipal Party Committee,. (Reporters: Lei Pengcheng and Gao Wei)