On February 1, 2018, the National Development and Reform Commission announced that, in accordance with the requirements of the commission's antitrust investigation, Dalian Port, Guangzhou Port, and the eastern Yantian Port Area of Shenzhen Port, as well as the western Shekou and Chiwan Port Areas, will all reduce import and export container loading and unloading fees starting from 2018.

Taking the public tariff rate for 20 foot containers as an example, Dalian Port has lowered it from the current 642 yuan/box to 510 yuan/box; Guangzhou Port has lowered its current price from 668 yuan/box to 490 yuan/box; The Yantian Port Area of Shenzhen Port has lowered its price from the current 1400 yuan/box to 980 yuan/box; The Shekou and Chiwan ports in the western part of Shenzhen Port have been lowered from the current 1200 yuan/box to 800 yuan/box. The rates for other box types will be reduced proportionally. According to calculations, the above adjustments can reduce import and export logistics costs by approximately 960 million yuan annually. As of now, coastal ports with a container transportation volume of over 10 million TEUs per year have reduced their import and export container loading and unloading operating fees.

The National Development and Reform Commission is studying and formulating measures to address the suspected monopolistic behavior discovered during the investigation. The National Development and Reform Commission also emphasizes that container shipping companies should follow the principle of cost compensation, adjust the port operating fees to a reasonable level as soon as possible based on the adjustment of port loading and unloading fees, and ensure that the results of port fee reduction are transmitted to the real economy. The National Development and Reform Commission welcomes relevant parties to strengthen social supervision, timely report and report suspected violations of the Anti Monopoly Law in the production and operation of port enterprises through the 12358 price supervision platform and other means, and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.

Prior to this, on November 15, 2017, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) held a press conference, in which China Aviation Weekly, as the supervisory media of the NDRC, participated throughout the entire process. Meng Wei, Deputy Director and Spokesperson of the Policy Research Office of the National Development and Reform Commission, introduced at the meeting that in April 2017, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with the Ministry of Transport, conducted anti-monopoly investigations against Shanghai Port and Tianjin Port in accordance with the law. On this basis, the National Development and Reform Commission, in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport and the China Ports Association, requires 39 coastal ports across the country to conduct self inspection, self correction, and practical rectification based on the problems found in this anti-monopoly investigation.

Guangzhou Port took the lead in expressing its stance and actively responded. On December 26, 2017, Guangzhou Port Co., Ltd. announced that it would fully respect the interests of shipping companies, ship agency companies, and other parties, and fully open up its shipping agency, tugboat, and cargo handling businesses. This move has been interpreted by many industry insiders as a measure for Guangzhou Port to further increase its opening up. At the same time, it also called on other ports to further open up these businesses and create a good market atmosphere.

Regarding the release of this announcement, relevant personnel from Guangzhou Port Group stated that on the one hand, this move adheres to Guangzhou Port's consistent opening-up policy. The Pearl River Delta region is densely populated with ports, but has always maintained an open development strategy and formed a good competitive relationship with each other. Guangzhou Port hopes to promote a healthier market environment for port and shipping services through this approach. On the other hand, this move also responds to and implements the anti monopoly requirements for ports proposed by the National Development and Reform Commission in 2017