On June 19, 2008, the Ningxia Huinong InlandWater-free Port was opened, which is the firstwaterless port that Tianjin has built in NingxiaAutonomous Region. Until now, Tianjin hasbuilt five waterless ports, cooperating with severalinland provinces. To extend the functionsof port to inland provinces and to share its ownadvantages with those provinces, Tianjin aimsto serve the whole country and promote theeconomic development of different regions.

Tianjin Port is located at the most westernpoint of the Bohai Sea. Serving Tianjin, Northern,Northwest and Northeast China, the harborpossesses its unique regional advantageand typical regional cooperative opportunities.Tianjin Port has established sound cooperationwith inland provinces. Over 70 percentof goods and more than 50 percent of tradevolume of Tianjin Port stem from central andwestern areas.

The Binhai New Area has been included intothe national overall development strategy,which provides a new opportunity for theregional cooperation of Tianjin Port. TianjinMunicipal Government issued the order of“building water-free ports and implementingsimplified customs formalities” in response tothe actual market situation.

In October 2004, Tianjin signed Memorandumof Quick Transfer the Pass in Tianjin-Hebei Portwith Hebei province, which undrawn the preludeof building waterless ports. In November2005, Tianjin Municipal Government reachedagreements to strengthen cooperation withthe General Administration of Customs. Theparties had reached a common recognitionin terms of improving cooperation mechanismand promoting the building of inland“water-free port”. In July 2007, Tianjin signedMemorandum of Building Simplified CustomsFormalities in Northern Area and Letter ofIntent for Building Inland Waterless Ports withdifferent provinces, cities and areas, which laythe foundation for promoting the constructionof waterless ports.

Until now, Tianjin has built with the inlandprovinces five inland water-free ports, namelyBeijing Chaoyang Inland Port, Shijiazhuang InlandPort, Henan Road Port, Baotou WaterlessPort and Ningxia Huinong Inland Port.

Through building water-free ports, inland areastruly possess their own passages to the sea.The customs clearance mode at waterlessports has altered the traditional mode that inlandgoods have to be declared at the port ordeclare twice because of the transferring of thepass. Realizing “declare one time, inspect onetime and check in one time” at the waterlessports simplifies the steps, improves efficiencyand also costs less. The operation data fromwaterless port shows that logistics runningtime in waterless port is reduced by 1 to 2 daysin central area and 3 to 4 days in western area;the overall logistic cost has also been cut by20 percent.

The construction of waterless ports has helpedextend the functions of ports, which furtherextends the area covered by its service and improvesits impact as a model. These measureshelp the port serve and support the developmentof regional economy effectively.

Entering 2008, Tianjin further speeds up thepace of building water-free ports with inlandareas. It aims to build six water-free ports in2008 and plans to build waterless ports in inlandlogistic center cities within two years.With the construction of waterless ports andperfection of the network, the completion ofport function, information-oriented e-portfunction and bonded zone function, TianjinPort will soon witness the expansion and extensionof its operation.