Abstract: In 1981, Hayuth put forward a five-phase model that illustrates the dynamic development process of a container port system and the rationale behind such development. According to Hayuth’s model, containerization system has a profound effect on port structure and port operation, has modified some of the traditional port functions, and has introduced new dimensions to port competion, port hierarchies, and hinterland delineations. A particular emphasis is being given to the phenomenon of concentration of container traffic in few, large port load centers. In this paper, the lower Changjiang River container port system serves a case study. It can been seen that there are three development stages:(1)Initial adoption from the early 1970s to the early 1980s, only did a few large conventional ports such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Nantong port adopt containerization technology. (2) Diffusion during the period between 1986 and 1995 there occurred the obvions diffusion of the container system among the lower Changjiang River ports.The number of ports that handled container traffic doubled in this period. (3) Primary concentration of 1996 is an important lime in the deveolpment of the lower Changjiang River contain port system. By this time there occurred the most significant concentration of the container system among the lower Changjiang River ports. The container traffic that Shanghai port handled growed much faster than those of any other ports. In the author’s opinion, the present situation of this container port system is not still able to conform with the need of foreign trade and economic development at national, regional levels. The comstruction of Shanghai port as a hub of container transportation will be speed up and the comprehensive planning of the container port system will be strengthened in the future.