UN/LOCODE: CNDLC📍 China

Port of Dalian (UN/LOCODE CNDLC)

❖ Coordinates: 38.9140°N, 121.6147°E

❖ Time Zone: Asia/Shanghai

❖ UN/LOCODE: CNDLC

## About the Port Dalian Port (UN/LOCODE: CNDLC) is a major deep‑water seaport situated on the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula in Liaoning Province, People’s Republic of China. Its geographic coordinates—38.9140° N, 121.6147° E—place it at the confluence of the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, granting it strategic access to both domestic inland waterways and international shipping lanes. Operated primarily by Dalian Port Group Co., Ltd., the port complex comprises several specialized terminals handling containers, bulk commodities, liquid chemicals, roll‑on/roll‑off (ro‑ro) cargo, and passenger traffic. With an annual container throughput exceeding 15 million TEU in recent years, Dalian consistently ranks among the top ten container ports worldwide and serves as a critical gateway for Northeast China’s industrial hinterland, including the cities of Shenyang, Changchun, and Harbin. The port’s timezone follows China Standard Time (Asia/Shanghai, UTC +8), facilitating synchronization with major Asian trading hubs such as Shanghai, Busan, and Hong Kong. ## History ### Early Foundations The origins of Dalian’s maritime activity trace back to the late 19th century when the Qing Dynasty established a modest fishing harbor at the site. Following the First Sino‑Japanese War (1894‑1895), the area came under Japanese control and was redeveloped as the commercial hub of “Dairen” (大連). The Japanese South Manchuria Railway Company invested heavily in port infrastructure, constructing deep‑water berths, warehouses, and a rail link to the interior, which laid the foundation for modern Dalian Port. ### Socialist Era Expansion After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Dalian was integrated into the national shipping network. The 1950s‑1970s saw systematic expansion of bulk handling facilities to support the nation’s steel and coal industries, notably the construction of the Dalian Iron Ore Terminal and the expansion of the Daqing Oil Pipeline’s marine offloading point. During this period, the port’s annual cargo volume grew from under 5 million tonnes to surpassing 30 million tonnes by the late 1970s. ### Reform and Opening‑Up The economic reforms initiated in 1978 catalyzed a transformation toward containerization. Dalian’s first dedicated container terminal opened in 1985 at the Dalianwan Bay area, equipped with gantry cranes capable of handling 20‑tonne lifts. Subsequent phases in the 1990s and 2000s added the Dalian Container Terminal (DCT), the Dagushan Terminal, and the Xingang Terminal, progressively increasing the port’s container capacity. By 2010, Dalian had surpassed the 10 million TEU milestone, positioning itself as a leading transshipment hub for cargo bound to and from the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and the Russian Far East. ### Recent Developments In the 2010s, Dalian Port embraced automation and green initiatives. The implementation of the “Smart Port” project introduced automated stacking cranes, AI‑driven berth scheduling, and shore‑power facilities to reduce vessel emissions. In 2022, the port completed the expansion of the Dalianwan Bulk Terminal, raising its annual iron ore handling capacity to over 80 million tonnes. These advancements have reinforced Dalian’s reputation as a modern, efficient, and environmentally conscious maritime gateway. ## Infrastructure & Facilities ### Berths and Terminal Layout Dalian Port spans approximately 34 kilometers of quay length, distributed across several functional zones: - **Dalianwan Container Terminal (DCT)** – 12 deep‑water berths (depth up to 17 m) with a combined container handling capacity of 7 million TEU/year. - **Dagushan Container Terminal** – 8 berths (depth 15‑16 m) focused on transshipment and feeder services, capacity ~4 million TEU/year. - **Xingang Terminal** – Mixed-use facility handling containers, ro‑ro, and general cargo; 6 berths, depth 12‑14 m. - **Bulk Terminals** – Dedicated berths for iron ore (up to 20 m depth), coal, grain, and liquid chemicals; total annual bulk capacity exceeds 150 million tonnes. - **Liquid Cargo Terminal** – Equipped with heated storage and pipelines for petrochemical products, handling ~30 million tonnes/year. - **Ro‑Ro/Passenger Terminal** – Serves ferries to the Korean Peninsula and domestic coastal routes, with dedicated vehicle lanes and passenger lounges. ### Equipment and Technology The port operates over 200 quay cranes, including super‑post‑Panamax gantry cranes with outreach up to 22 m and lift capacities of 40‑50 tonnes. Yard operations rely on a mix of rubber‑tired gantry (RTG) cranes, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and straddle carriers. The Dalian Port Community System (PCS) integrates terminal operating systems, customs clearance, and logistics providers via a single‑window platform, reducing average vessel turnaround time to under 24 hours for container ships. ### Intermodal Connectivity - **Rail**: Direct connections to the Shen‑Da (Shenyang‑Dalian) Railway, the Harbin‑Dalian High‑Speed Rail freight corridor, and the Sino‑European land bridge via the Manzhouli‑Erenhot gateway. - **Highways**: Links to the G15 Shenyang‑Dalian Expressway and the G1 Beijing‑Harbin Expressway, facilitating door‑to‑door trucking. - **Inland Waterways**: Access to the Liao River and the Bohai Sea internal shipping routes, enabling barge transport of bulk commodities to inland industrial zones. - **Air Cargo**: Proximity to Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport (DLC) supports time‑critical freight, particularly high‑value electronics and perishables. ## Economic Importance Dalian Port functions as the linchpin of Liaoning Province’s export‑oriented economy, which centers on heavy industries such as steel production, petrochemicals, machinery manufacturing, and automotive assembly. The port’s throughput directly supports the Dalian Economic and Technological Development Zone (DETDZ), a national‑level hub attracting foreign direct investment in electronics, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials. In 2023, the port contributed roughly CNY 1.2 trillion to the regional GDP, representing approximately 18 % of Liaoning’s total industrial output. Employment generated by port operations exceeds 120 000 jobs, encompassing stevedoring, logistics, customs brokerage, and maritime services. Moreover, Dalian’s role as a transshipment hub reduces logistics costs for manufacturers in Jilin, Heilongjiang, and Inner Mongolia by providing a competitive alternative to the longer sea routes via Shanghai or Ningbo‑Zhoushan. The port’s efficiency metrics—average berth occupancy of 68 %, crane productivity of 35 moves per crane‑hour, and container dwell time under 2 days—rank it among the top performers in the Northeast Asian port league table. Environmental stewardship has also become an economic driver. Dalian Port’s shore‑power installation, capable of supplying up to 10 MW to berthed vessels, has cut auxiliary engine fuel consumption by an estimated 15 %, yielding both cost savings for ship operators and compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2020 sulfur cap. ## Trade Routes & Major Cargo ### Container Trade Dalian’s container flows are heavily oriented toward intra‑Asian trade: - **North‑East Asia**: Regular feeder services to Busan (South Korea), Yokohama and Kobe (Japan), and Vladivostok (Russia). - **Southeast Asia**: Direct calls to Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong for onward transshipment to Southeast Asian markets. - **Europe & Mediterranean**: Although less frequent, block trains from Dalian to the Manzhouli‑Erenhot rail gateway connect to the New Eurasian Land Bridge, enabling container shipments to Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Málaga with transit times of 18‑22 days. Key commodities in containerized form include electronics, automotive parts, textiles, and consumer goods. ### Bulk and Break‑Bulk Cargo - **Iron Ore**: Dalian imports roughly 70 million tonnes annually, primarily from Australia and Brazil, feeding the Benxi and Anshan steel complexes. - **Coal**: Approximately 30 million tonnes of thermal and coking coal arrive each year from Indonesia and Mongolia, destined for power plants and steel mills across Liaoning. - **Grain**: The port handles about 5 million tonnes of wheat and corn, supporting both domestic consumption and export to Southeast Asia. - **Liquid Bulk**: Petrochemical products (crude oil, refined fuels, ethylene) constitute a significant share, with throughput exceeding 25 million tonnes per annum, linked to the Dalian Petrochemical Complex and the Liaoning refinery network. - **Ro‑Ro & Vehicles**: Finished automobiles, trucks, and agricultural machinery are shipped to South Korea and Japan, while used vehicles flow inbound for domestic resale. ### Passenger and Cruise Traffic Dalian’s passenger terminal accommodates roughly 800 000 ferry passengers yearly on routes to Incheon (South Korea) and Donghae (Russia). Although cruise calls remain modest compared to Shanghai or Hong Kong, the port has seen incremental growth in regional cruise itineraries that incorporate the Yellow Sea’s scenic coastal stops. --- *For authoritative statistics on Dalian Port’s throughput and infrastructure, see the Dalian Port Group’s official overview* [Dalian Port Group↗] *and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Review of Maritime Transport* [UNCTAD Review↗].

Port Intelligence

UN/LOCODE

CNDLC

Country

China

Province / Region

Liaoning

Latitude

38.914003

Longitude

121.614682

Timezone

Asia/Shanghai

Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Dalian?

The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Dalian is CNDLC.

Where is Port of Dalian located?

The Port of Dalian is located in China, Liaoning. Its coordinates are 38.9140°N, 121.6147°E.

What time zone is Port of Dalian in?

Port of Dalian operates in the Asia/Shanghai time zone.

🌊 Live Marine Conditions

Wave Height0.64 m

Wave Direction222°

Swell Height0.38 m

Data provided by Open-Meteo Marine API

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About the World Port Index

This data is sourced programmatically. The UN/LOCODE is the official geographic coding scheme used by the United Nations for trade and transport locations.

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