Zhenhai District of Ningbo City was taken as the research objective and the method of ecological footprint was employed to calculate its ecological footprint(EF) and ecological capacity(EC) from 1997 to 2011. The results showed that the ecological footprint per capita in Zhenhai District increased from 6.4178 hm² to 7.7374 hm² during 1997-2011. Meanwhile the ecological capacity per capita, the ecological deficit per capita and the ecological tension index increased from 0.3370 hm², 6.0808 hm², 19.04 to 0.3624 hm², 7.7130 hm², 20.79 respectively. The ecological footprint per capita exceeded the ecological carrying capacity per capita, which showing a huge ecological deficit and indicated that the land ecological system of port areas was in a very unsafe state. The rapid development of urbanization, the layout of heavy chemical industry and the adjustment of residents' consumption structure were important factors which influenced the land ecological safety of Zhenhai District, and the risk of land ecological system was much higher than the original system due to the international trade. Finally, it was concluded that the measures of coordinating the relationship between port and city, reducing the proportion of fossil energy and improving the ecological land ratio should be taken to adjust the status of land ecological security in port areas.