The Qinhuangdao Port plans to invest 1 billion yuan (about 127.5 million US dollars) for environmental protection in the next eight years.

As China's biggest coal transshipment port and an important hub to ship coal from northern China to the country'southern part, the port realized an annual throughput of 200 million tons last year, of which 175 million tons were coal, half the domestic coal shipping volume. The large amount of coal transportation has brought new topics to the port's environmental protection issue.

Aiming to build the first "Green Port" in North China in 2015, when its handling capacity is expected to go up to 400 million tons, the port has envisaged several strategies, including more investment in such projects as a dust prevention web, coal yard watering and dustproof spray; in addition to sewage recycle system and coal energy centralized heating facilities.

Over the past years, the port has established environment-friendly projects and quality control systems, as well as reinforced sewage , coal dust and smoke treatment. As a result, the port was able to meet the national standards on coal dust, smoke and noise control and waste water discharge.