A high-level seminar on building world-class ports is held in Qingdao city, in Shandong province. [Photo/WeChat account: Shandong-Port]

East China's Shandong province is reportedly moving to speed up its construction of world-class ports – with the province home to Shandong Port Group Co Ltd, based in the port city of Qingdao, which is one of the world's biggest ports operators.

The moves to construct world-class ports was discussed on April 21 at a seminar in Qingdao, also celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the China Ports & Harbors Association, or CPHA.

Officials and industry insiders from the Ministry of Transport, the Shandong provincial government and Shandong Port Group, or SPG, attended and discussed ways to pave the way for the development of the ports.

During the event, the 4th member's congress of the 8th session of the CPHA was held, with SPG winning one first prize, five second prizes, 12 third prizes in the Science and Technology Progress Award – held under the auspices of the CPHA. The company also received a second prize in the Technology Inventions Award, conferred by the association.

The China Ports & Harbors Association was founded in 1981 in Shanghai, under the direction of the Ministry of Communications. It is the national umbrella group for China's ports, with its members comprising port enterprises and institutes, as well as those operating in port-related sectors. The CPHA is also a trans-regional, non-profit organization.