Yantian International Container Terminals

What Yantian International Container Terminals does

Yantian International Container Terminals (YICT) is a deep-water container terminal operator located in Shenzhen, China, within the Greater Bay Area. It has been in operation since 1994 and is embedded within the Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (HPH Trust) structure, which is publicly listed on the Singapore Exchange and ultimately part of the CK Hutchison group. The terminal has cumulative throughput of more than 200 million TEU as of 2021 and can simultaneously berth six 400-metre container vessels, anchoring it as a hub for mega-vessel deployments on east-west and intra-Asia trades.

The company serves all major global liner brands, including COSCO, MSC, OOCL, HMM, Evergreen, CMA CGM, ONE, and ZIM, earning revenue primarily through vessel call fees, container handling charges, storage, and ancillary port services tied to berth window commitments and intermodal connectivity. In H1 2026, the terminal's parent perimeter reported revenue of HK$6.2 billion (+9.5% YoY) and net profit of HK$490.5 million / US$62.6 million (+85% YoY), with container throughput up 10% year-over-year.

Strategically, YICT has signed an MOU with 16 APEC ports to establish a Green Shipping Corridor, positioning the asset within a multinational framework for fuel transition and emissions reduction. Senior leadership also engaged directly with the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee in November 2025, reinforcing alignment with provincial port, trade, and Greater Bay Area integration policy. The combined scale, concession-style regulatory position, and liner diversification underpin a defensible but capital-intensive operating profile.

Name

Yantian International Container Terminals

Legal name

Yantian International Container Terminals Limited

Website

https://yict.com.cn

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Yantian International Container Terminals is a deep-water container terminal in Shenzhen's Greater Bay Area, operating since 1994 within the HPH Trust/CK Hutchison group. It serves all major global liner brands and handles mega-vessel calls, with H1 2026 throughput up 10% YoY.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Container Terminal Operations

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Marine Cargo Handling (48832), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)

akta.pro primary industry

Deep-Sea Container Terminals (Mainline / Transshipment Hubs) (TLAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Container Terminal Operating Services & Management (Terminal Operator / Concessionaire) (TLAHAAAI), Feeder & Short-Sea Container Terminals (TLAHAAAC), Intermodal Rail Container Terminals (On-Dock / Near-Dock) (TLAHAAAE)

Keywords

• Container terminal operations
• Port logistics services
• Mega vessel handling
• Intermodal transport
• Refrigerated cargo handling

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenzhen

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Container Terminal Operations: Revenue generated from container throughput handling, port charges, and terminal services for shipping lines including vessel berthing, cargo handling, storage, and intermodal services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Yantian International Container Terminals operates a world-class container terminal hub port in Shenzhen's Yantian District within China's Greater Bay Area, providing container handling, vessel berthing, cargo storage, and terminal services for global container shipping lines. The terminal supports mega vessel handling (up to 24,000+ TEU vessels, including simultaneous handling of six 400-metre vessels), and offers complementary intermodal, feeder, refrigerated (reefer), and vessel scheduling services. It functions as a major hub port for cargo moving through the Pearl River Delta, connected to manufacturing hubs and global shipping routes.

Product overview

Yantian International Container Terminals (YICT) operates as a single unified container terminal product offering comprehensive port services. The core offering is container terminal operations at the Yantian port facility in Shenzhen's Greater Bay Area, supported by integrated service modules including state-of-the-art technology, vessel scheduling, import/reefer services, intermodal transport, feeder services, and port security. As a member of HPH Trust, YICT serves as a world-class hub port for mega-vessels with services organized around terminal operations, shipping line support, and sustainability initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Container Terminal Operations World-class container terminal hub port operations in Shenzhen's Yantian District providing container handling, storage, berthing, and terminal services for global container shipping lines and cargo operators. Capable of simultaneously berthing six 400-metre-long mega container vessels up to 24,000+ TEU.
• Import & Reefer Services Specialized refrigerated (reefer) container handling and storage services for temperature-sensitive cargo including perishables, offered as a distinct service to shipping lines and cargo operators using the Yantian terminal.
• Intermodal Services Multimodal transportation service connecting sea, rail, and road transport to enable seamless cargo movement to and from the Yantian terminal for inland destinations and regional markets.
• Feeder Services Regional feeder vessel services connecting Yantian International Container Terminals with smaller ports in the Pearl River Delta region, enabling distribution and consolidation of container cargo through a hub-and-spoke network.
• Shipping Lines Services (Mega-Vessel Handling) Dedicated services, facilities, and operational support for major global container shipping line customers, including the capability to simultaneously berth six 400-metre-long mega container vessels and accommodate ultra-large container vessels up to 24,000+ TEU.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200 million TEU cumulative throughput milestone achieved
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered regional and core.

• Guangdong Provincial Party CommitteeregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025High-level political engagement with provincial leadership, demonstrating strategic importance of the port to the regional economy and trade development.
• HPH Trust (Hutchison Port Holdings Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYICT is a member of HPH Trust, which owns and operates ports globally. The terminal operates as part of the Hutchison Port Holdings network, benefiting from global port operations expertise and investment support.
• Hutchison Port Holdings LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company providing global port management expertise, operational standards, and network resources for YICT's container terminal operations.
• APEC PortsregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerYANTIAN signed MOU with 16 APEC ports and launched Green Shipping Corridor Cooperation Initiative to promote sustainable shipping practices.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• APM Terminals (A.P. Moller-Maersk): Global container terminal operator owned by Maersk, running deep-water hub ports across multiple continents. Comparable as a mega-vessel capable terminal operator serving the same alliance customers as YICT, though more diversified globally and increasingly aligned with Maersk's internal liner network.
• China Merchants Port Holdings: Hong Kong-listed state-backed container terminal operator with major stakes in Chinese hub ports including Shenzhen western ports (Shekou, Chiwan). Comparable business model and overlapping customer base with YICT, with similar mega-vessel handling at adjacent Shenzhen terminals creating direct call-share competition.
• DP World: Global marine terminal operator with deep-sea hub ports worldwide. Directly comparable business model (container terminal operating, mega-vessel handling) and overlapping customer base with YICT among top-tier shipping lines, but with broader geographic and modal diversification.
• PSA International (PSA Singapore): One of the world's largest container terminal operators, managing hub ports across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Comparable as a global mega-vessel hub operator competing for the same alliance vessel calls as YICT, though with a broader asset portfolio and more diversified geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG): Operator of Shanghai Port — the world's largest container port by throughput. Direct competitor for Chinese export/import container volumes and mega-vessel calls along the China coast, with overlapping target customer base of global shipping lines including MSC, CMA CGM and COSCO.
• COSCO SHIPPING Ports: Hong Kong-listed terminal arm of COSCO with significant stakes in Chinese and overseas container ports. Direct comparable as a Chinese mega-vessel container terminal operator, and also a customer of YICT (COSCO vessels regularly call) creating a partly competing, partly partnering relationship.
• Hong Kong International Terminals (HIT): Operator of container terminals at Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing port under Hutchison Ports, sister to YICT within the HPH Trust network. Directly comparable as a Hong Kong-adjacent deep-water container terminal serving the same Pearl River Delta catchment and competing for the same mega-vessel calls and feeder connections.
• Shenzhen Yantian Port Holdings: Listed Shenzhen port operator that holds adjacent terminal stakes and operates Yantian port-area infrastructure including Phase III/IV berths of the same Yantian port complex. Direct competitor and joint-venture counterparty of YICT within the same harbor — the most locally comparable peer.
• Ningbo-Zhoushan Port Group: Operator of Ningbo-Zhoushan — China's largest port by cargo tonnage and a top-three container port. Comparable as a major Chinese deep-water container hub competing for transshipment and origin-destination cargo with YICT, with substantial mega-vessel capability and Pearl River Delta-adjacent catchment.
• HPH Trust (Hutchison Port Holdings Trust): Parent business trust that owns and operates YICT alongside other deep-water container terminals globally (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Rotterdam, etc.). Directly comparable as a container terminal operating platform exposed to the same mega-vessel, alliance-driven dynamics, with YICT being one of its flagship hub assets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yantian-international-container-terminals-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yantian International Container Terminals