Containers stockpiled at Ningbo Zhoushan Port in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/Ningbo Evening News]

The Ningbo area of China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone recently unveiled a raft of development goals for this year.

According to the action plan released by the local government, Ningbo will start operating businesses related to fishing boat fuel oil. The annual refueling volume in the city will reach up to 200,000 metric tons, while the import value will surpass 600 million yuan ($87.08 million).

Ningbo will also build a pilot port for agricultural and food products imported from the Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC), and facilitate the transformation of Meishan port into an international cold chain logistics hub.

In addition, a facility for collectively purchasing commodities from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative will be inaugurated in Cixi, a county-level city in Ningbo this year, according to the plan.

Meanwhile, authorities will set up a commodity exhibition center in Russia as part of efforts to raise its exports to the country to $5 billion.

Ningbo will also promote innovation in the shipping financial system to improve port and shipping services, stated the plan.

The city's air cargo throughput volume is expected to exceed 108,000 tons this year, with international air freight volume expected to grow by 40 percent.