Luojing Terminal in Shanghai Cleared for Foreign Trade

Shanghai has approved the first phase of its automated Luojing container terminal for foreign-trade operations, expanding the function of the 2.6 million teu-per-year facility at the world’s busiest container port.

The Shanghai municipal government authorized the first phase of the Luojing terminal conversion to handle external, or foreign-trade, business. The city’s commerce commission has been tasked with coordinating the implementation of the decision in accordance with national and municipal regulations.

The first phase of Luojing began operating in August 2024 after Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) transformed a former coal and ore handling facility into an automated container terminal. The development includes one 100,000-tonne-class container berth and four 10,000-tonne-class berths, providing an annual design capacity of 2.6 million teu.

The latest approval does not increase the terminal’s physical capacity but instead expands the types of trade it is permitted to handle.

Luojing is already processing substantial container volumes. During Shanghai’s recent increase in throughput, the terminal handled a record 8,373 teu in a single day on August 1. Meanwhile, SIPG is approaching completion of the second phase of the Luojing conversion project, which will provide an additional 1.4 million teu of annual capacity.

Civil construction passed its handover inspection on May 29, allowing the project to move into the equipment installation and commissioning stage. The second phase is expected to be ready for operations later this year. Once completed, it will add one 100,000-tonne-class container berth and three 10,000-tonne-class berths.

The broader Luojing development is converting former coal, ore and oil handling facilities into automated container infrastructure. Together, the first two phases will give the terminal a total designed annual capacity of approximately 4 million teu.