Auto shipments from Nansha port set to boom

Following the docking of two car-carrier ships recently at the automobile terminal berth of the Nansha automobile port in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, exports of automobiles through the port are expected to increase significantly, the port company said.

After their successful docking in early February, both ships will be fully loaded with cars bound for Central America, South America and the Middle East, imparting strong momentum to China's automobile exports, according to the port company.

The Bahamian ships — Gravity Highway and Progress Ace — became the largest car carriers to dock at the Nansha automobile port since its opening, as they are widely regarded as "super behemoths" and "super cargo kings".

Gravity Highway, with a total length of 199.96 meters and total tonnage of nearly 59,000 tons, can carry nearly 6,000 fully loaded vehicles.

Progress Ace has a similar carrying capacity to that of Gravity Highway, according to data provided by the shipping company.

According to statistics from local commerce authorities, the import and export volume of automobiles in Nansha increased by about 3.9 times in 2023, with a 68 percent year-on-year growth in the number of cars exported through the automobile port.

The annual capacity of passenger vehicles passing through the Nansha automobile logistics hub is close to 2 million units, making it the largest automobile export hub in the country in terms of throughput.

Over the years, Nansha's international shipping and logistics capabilities have risen, establishing it as a core area for building an international shipping hub in Guangzhou and an important gateway for external trade, the port company said.

The Nansha automobile port serves as a vital link connecting cities on both sides of the Pearl River estuary, as well as a key hub radiating across Guangdong and neighboring Hainan province and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, making it the largest cluster of roll-on/roll-off terminals in the country and the largest RoRo automobile hub port in South China.

The port's capacity to handle automobile imports and exports increased significantly following cooperation agreements signed on Sunday between the local commerce authorities and two subsidiaries of COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co Ltd.

Guangzhou Ocean Shipping Co, one of the subsidiaries and a key player in car shipping, currently operates six professional car carriers in Nansha, with an annual car export capacity of 110,000 vehicles.

Additionally, the company plans to build several new car carriers in Nansha, aiming to establish a professional car carrier fleet with more than 30 ships capable of handling an annual export capacity of over 700,000 vehicles.