Aerial view of the Fodu container terminal. [Photo/WeChat account: zjzsqdxq]

Construction has begun on phase one of the Fodu container terminal at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, East China's Zhejiang province, marking a major milestone for Zhoushan's maritime sector.

With a total investment of about 21.1 billion yuan ($2.96 billion), the project will use 2,850 meters of coastline to build seven container berths for vessels up to 200,000 metric tons.

Located in Putuo district of Zhoushan and only about three kilometers from the Meishan port area across the sea, the Fodu container terminal will form one of the largest and most influential container clusters in Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. It aims to enhance container handling capacity and support the port's role as a global maritime hub.

The terminal will adopt advanced systems combining automated quayside cranes, double-arm rail gantry cranes, and automated guided vehicles‌ to achieve near-zero carbon operations. Phase one will feature two 200,000-ton berths with a planned annual capacity of two million twenty-foot equivalent units and is scheduled for completion by 2027 alongside the Liuheng Bridge. Phase two will add five more berths starting in 2028.

Once operational, the terminal is expected to increase annual revenue by 620 million yuan, create 500 direct and 2,000 indirect jobs, and further accelerate Zhoushan's urbanization and marine economy development.