In modern maritime trade and international shipping practice, carriers and shippers, as parties to the contract of carriage, are seldom able to complete all aspects of the carriage themselves. Considering the segmentation of port operations and cost saving, the operation of goods in port in maritime transport is usually completed by the port operator. However, when the loss, damage or delay in delivery of the goods is caused by the port operator, the question arises as to how to determine its liability and whether it can invoke the carrier's defences or limitation of liability clauses. There has been a legislative gap in China's provisions on port operators since the repeal of a number of ineffective Departmental Regulations in 2016. When adjudicating, Chinese courts frequently are required to first determine the legal status of the port operator, i.e., whether it can bridge over to the carrier and apply the provisions of China's Maritime Law on the limitation of liability of the carrier. This not only caused great uncertainty in adjudication, but also had respective problems in theory. The legal status of port operators in Chinese legislation has evolved over time, with a general trend towards accepting their independent civil subject status, but because of the current legislative gaps, there are many different academic and judicial viewpoints on this issue. This article examines the evolution of Chinese legislation, the results of court decisions and the latest theoretical views of Chinese academics with regard to the legal status of port operators in China, and reveals the necessity of research on the legal status of port operators under Chinese law and the possibility of a solution. In addition, 2020 China's Maritime Law (Draft for Examination) was published, which provides a definition of port operator and specifies that the carrier's defences and limitation of liability can be invoked. However, the legal status of the port operator and the manner of division of liability with the carrier were not specified; thus a theoretical foundation and legal clarity in the application of the law is lacking regarding the assumption of liability by the port operator. We should take this opportunity to clarify the legal status of port operators as "Contractual Assistants of the Carrier" and to supplement and improve the relevant provisions of the Maritime Law (Draft for Examination) accordingly.