The feasibility research report on the railway connecting Yangkou and Lyusi ports was approved by the Jiangsu provincial development and reform commission on July 10. The commission pointed out that the project will promote the high-quality development of the Yangtze River economic belt. After completion, it will connect the port areas along Nantong's coast and contribute to the construction of a new marina on Tongzhou Bay.

With a length of 84.96 kilometers and estimated investment of 9.90 billion yuan ($1.40 billion), the Yangkou-Lyusi railway will pass by the four counties (cities and districts) of Rudong, Tongzhou, Haimen and Qidong. Seven stations will be newly established along the line and the two existing ones will be reconstructed.

The project has obtained substantial support from the provincial development and reform commission and the Nantong municipal government. The construction unit, Yanhai group, regards it as their No 1 key project in 2020, and lays equal stress on project approval, engineering design and financing and commencement preparations, making every effort to advance all the preliminary work.