Since construction started in 2005, investment of the development project of Yantai's western port area, in Shandong province, has come to CNY2.3 billion (US$349.6 million), Xinhua reports.

Yantai, a city of 6.5 million opposite Dalian across the mouth of the Bohai Sea, has a port area with 15.5-kilometre coast line and will cover 50 square kilometres, 24 of which will be devoted to operations. It will also have a quay length of 19 kilometres to encompass 65 berths with capacity of 50,000 to 400,000 tonnes.

Once completed, the Yantai port area will have a container handling capacity of 15 million TEU and cargo handling capacity of 200 million tonnes.