Admittedly, changes in the international and domestic landscapes as well as shifts in the regulatory system will impose new requirements on the development of the port economy. On the other hand, these very new requirements also give rise to numerous new opportunities.

First, according to Suzhou Cosc Marine Machinery Co., Ltd., opportunities stem from the global trend toward larger‑sized ocean‑going vessels. To cut costs, oil tankers, container ships and dry‑bulk carriers are being built with ever‑increasing tonnage, placing new demands on existing port and waterway infrastructure. Accordingly, those capable of meeting such demands and possessing competitive advantages will seize relevant opportunities.

Second, intermodal logistics transportation will bring abundant new opportunities for port development.

Third, opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative. The implementation of the Belt and Road regional cooperation initiative will vigorously boost cooperation among more than 60 countries across the region in economy, trade, investment, finance, people‑to‑people exchanges and other fields. The execution of this strategy will also generate new opportunities for port development. For regions along the Belt and Road, ports of various countries need to conduct more systematic and in‑depth research tailored to local realities so as to capture opportunities unleashed by the initiative.

Fourth, opportunities arising from informatization. According to Suzhou Cosc Marine Machinery Co., Ltd., the new‑round technological revolution represented by information technology has exerted a profound impact on modes of production and daily life. Advances in informatization also generate far‑reaching influences on port administration, logistics operations, and interactions between governments and enterprises. Therefore, as analyzed by Suzhou Cosc Marine Machinery Co., Ltd., informatization serves not only as a vital driver for the modernization and intelligent transformation of ports in the future, but also constitutes a major opportunity.

Fifth, China’s efforts to foster a new system for an open‑door economy present another critical opportunity for port development. Ports act as windows and front‑line hubs for this new open‑economy system. Overall economic growth hinges on trade and investment activities in the real economy; meanwhile, competitiveness is also reflected in regulatory frameworks and services, especially customs administration, inspection and quarantine, and financial services.

Nevertheless, Suzhou Cosc Marine Machinery Co., Ltd. observes that despite tremendous progress achieved in regulatory systems and other fields, compared with the world’s most advanced, liberal and efficient economies and ports, substantial room remains for China to improve efficiency through institutional innovation.