On 19 February, an inspection team from the General Administration of Customs visited Rugao terminal in Nantong, Jiangsu province, and approved its status as an open terminal that can accommodate foreign vessels. The stretch in question is 11.6km long and contains 35 berths, serving largely the chemical, petrochemical, shipbuilding and logistics sectors.

Under the current 11th five-year plan, 15 quays are planned to be built at Rugao to create a transhipment centre for oil and petrochemical products and bulk cargo, a distribution centre for materials and a logistics centre.