Jinghong Port of Mekong River in Jinghong City, XishuangBanna

Overview

Jinghong Port (景洪港) is located in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture (西双版纳傣族自治州), Yunnan Province (云南省), China. It serves as an important port on the Lancang-Mekong River (澜沧江·湄公河) international shipping route. Approved for construction as a first-class national port by the State Council on July 24, 1993, it includes three key terminals: Jinghong Port Central Terminal (景洪港中心码头), Ganluo Terminal (关累码头), and Ganlanba Terminal (橄榄坝码头). In June 2001, the Ministry of Transport announced the official opening of Jinghong Port to foreign vessels, enabling commercial shipping between China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand.

The Lancang-Mekong River runs through six countries, and international regional economic cooperation along this river has gained significant attention. This area is becoming an international investment hotspot, focused on resource development. Jinghong Port has gradually formed a waterway network that connects Jinghong as a hub to various Southeast Asian countries, establishing itself as the largest port in the Lancang-Mekong shipping route within China.

Jinghong Port Central Terminal

Jinghong Port Central Terminal (景洪港中心码头) is situated in Jinghong City (景洪市), Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture. Located along the Kunming-Mohan highway, it is only 5 kilometers from Banna International Airport (版纳国际机场). The terminal is 101 kilometers from the tripoint of China, Laos, and Myanmar, 334.6 kilometers from the Golden Triangle (金三角), and 402.1 kilometers from Huaysai, Laos (泰国清孔). It is 701.6 kilometers away from Luang Prabang, Laos (老挝琅勃拉邦).

The distance from Jinghong Port Central Terminal to Qing Sheng Port in Thailand (泰国清盛港) is 345 kilometers, with passenger ships taking just 9 hours and cargo ships 36 hours to traverse the route. With smooth navigation, complete facilities, and well-established customs and service agencies, it serves as an ideal choice for domestic and international traders engaged in water transport in the Lancang-Mekong river basin.

In accordance with the economic development vision of the Xishuangbanna Prefectural Committee and the Provincial Government, as well as the needs for future shipping and foreign trade, the Central Terminal is designed to have two berths: one for passenger transport and one for cargo. The short-term goal is to handle an annual cargo throughput of 100,000 tons and 400,000 passengers. The long-term goal is to reach an annual cargo throughput of 400,000 tons and 1.5 million passengers, focusing primarily on passenger transport with cargo as a secondary function. The entire port covers an area of 165 acres, and its planned infrastructure includes two river access roads and two loading platforms for cargo.

Supporting land facilities will include cargo yards, warehouses, port roads, customs inspection buildings, a comprehensive passenger terminal, water supply and drainage systems, power supply and lighting, landscaping, investment promotion projects, a seaman’s club, shopping center, guesthouse, tennis court, and more. The plan aims to establish a modern, multifunctional, garden-style port that integrates shipping, trade, commerce, tourism, entertainment, and leisure.

Ganluo Terminal

Ganluo Terminal (关累码头) is situated in the border trade area of Ganluo Town (关累镇), Mengla County (勐腊县), Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture. It is an important terminal of Jinghong Port, located on the Chinese side of the border river with Myanmar. It is 174 kilometers by road from Jinghong and 81 kilometers by water from Jinghong Port. Currently, there are three constructed and expanded berths, with an annual cargo throughput capacity of 150,000 tons and a passenger throughput capacity of 100,000 passengers.

The terminal’s infrastructure is continually improving, playing a crucial role in international shipping operations. It serves as the last Chinese port for outbound shipping and the first port for incoming foreign vessels, making its development vital for enhancing shipping and border trade.

Ganlanba Terminal

On September 18, 2009, the groundbreaking ceremony for Ganlanba Terminal (橄榄坝码头) was held, marking the commencement of the first phase of construction in the Menghan operational area. Construction officially began on September 21, 2009. The planned facilities include two passenger berths for vessels of 150 tons (80-100 passenger capacity), occupying a 110-meter waterfront and handling 400,000 passengers annually, with a building area of 4,395 square meters, of which the passenger terminal covers 3,838 square meters.

For cargo operations, four berths for 300-ton vessels will be constructed, including two multipurpose berths, one for general cargo, and one for bulk cargo, covering a 320-meter waterfront and an area of 8,736 square meters, with a cargo throughput capacity of 1 million tons. The total investment for this project is 164 million yuan, with a construction period of 670 days. Once completed, it will complement Jinghong Port Central Terminal and Ganluo Terminal, significantly enhancing international container shipping along the Lancang River and accelerating the development of shipping in Xishuangbanna.

The Lancang-Mekong River Basin

The Lancang-Mekong River (澜沧江·湄公河) originates from the Zhaqu River and Qu River in the Tanggula Mountains (唐古拉山) of Qinghai Province (青海省) at an elevation of 5,200 meters. After entering Yunnan Province, it flows through seven prefectures: Diqing (迪庆), Nujiang (怒江), Dali (大理), Baoshan (保山), Lincang (临沧), Simao (思茅), and Xishuangbanna (西双版纳), eventually reaching Jinghong City (景洪市) at the foot of Mengsong Mountain (勐松山), becoming the boundary river between China and Myanmar. It continues 31 kilometers down to the mouth of the Nala River in Mengla County (勐腊县), marking the tripoint between China, Myanmar, and Laos, where it is known as the Mekong River (湄公河).

The Mekong then flows through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, emptying into the South China Sea near Ho Chi Minh City (胡志明市), and draining into the Pacific Ocean.

The total length of the Lancang-Mekong River is 4,880 kilometers, surpassing the Congo River (刚果河), the sixth longest river in the world. Within China, the river spans 2,130 kilometers (1,247 kilometers in Yunnan Province and 183 kilometers in Xishuangbanna). It serves as the border river for 31 kilometers between China and Myanmar, 235 kilometers between Myanmar and Laos, and 789 kilometers within Laos, 975 kilometers along the Laos-Thailand border, 490 kilometers through Cambodia, and 230 kilometers in Vietnam. The drainage basin covers an area of 810,000 square kilometers, with a total drop of 5,060 meters and an average flow at the river mouth of 12,000 cubic meters per second.

It is the largest river in Southeast Asia and the seventh longest river in the world. The Lancang-Mekong River is known as the “Golden Waterway” that provides the most convenient access from China to Southeast Asia, connecting six countries. It is often referred to as the “Oriental Danube.” Traveling downstream from Jinghong Port, one passes through key ports and terminals including Ganlanba, Ganluo, Bansai, Suolei, Banxiangguo, Mengmo, Wanbeng, the Golden Triangle (金三角), Qing Sheng (清盛), Huaysai (会晒), Qing Kong (清孔), and Luang Prabang (琅勃拉邦).

The Lancang-Mekong River has become the political, economic, and cultural artery for the countries along its banks and is revered as the “River of Life.”