轮船招商局烟台分局

China Merchants Steam Navigation Company Yantai Branch

烟台港是近代我国海上南北交通的必经之地,且港湾沿岸滩浅沙平,沙船易于停靠。因此"南船北来,每因北洋风劲浪大,沙洲弯曲,时有搁浅触礁之患,非熟谙北路海线舵手不敢轻进,往往驶至烟台收口,另雇熟悉北洋小船,将货物分装搭载,拨至天津"。烟台港也因此成了海漕运输线上的重要中转港,且船主们多在此地将随船货物贩卖,港口贸易随之兴起。1861年8月22日,根据不平等的中英《天津条约》,烟台港对外开放。同时开放的还有天津港和牛庄(营口)港,这是中国北方最早对外开放的三个港口。

Yantai Port was an essential place for the north-south marine traffic in China in modem times.The shoal along the bay was shallow with flat sand,easy for large junks to berth.Therefore,"for the southern ships going north but coming across strong winds and big waves in the north ocean,the winding sandbank poses a danger of getting stranded and running on rocks.Those helmsmen who are not familiar with the northern sea route are afraid to advance rashly but sail to Yantai and hire small ships that are familiar with the north ocean,splitting commodities to load in the small ships and making a voyage to Tianjin."