Planned as Shanghai's new port, Yangshan is currently expanding its roles as transshipment hub and integrated logistics/industrial center in the Asia-Pacific region. This paper examines the impact of the emergence of Yangshan on the spatial pattern of the Yangtze River Delta since the 1970s, with reference to existing port system spatial evolutionary models. While this emergence confirms the trend of offshore hub development and regionalization processes observed in other regions, we also discuss noticeable deviations due to territorial and governance issues. Strong national policies favoring Shanghai's vicinity rather than Ningbo as well as the growth of Yangshan beyond sole transshipment functions all contribute to Shanghai's transformation into a global city.