In the space of just 10 days, Guangzhou has been included in four intra-Asia container service routes, in a sign of growing volumes handled by the southern Chinese port.
Guangzhou Port Group has begun consolidating ports in Guangdong province as part of the government’s wider plan to create a “Greater Bay Area” (GBA). The latter strategy envisions an economic hub encompassing Hong Kong, Macau and 11 urban southern Chinese cities. The increased trade flows between the GBA and ASEAN have resulted in higher demand for container shipments.
On 27 February 2020, Heung-A Line, formed from the merger of the liner shipping units of Sinokor Merchant Marine and Heung-A Shipping of South Korea, launched the SCS service with three feeder units. The service calls at Guangzhou while sailing from Hong Kong to Imari, Japan.
The following day, Taiwanese liner operator Wan Hai Lines launched its CV6 service that connects the Pearl River Delta with Vietnam, including calls at Guangzhou Nansha International Container Terminal.
Maersk Line’s regional unit, Sealand, has also rearranged its PH5 service, which connects the Russian Far East ports of Vladivostok and Vostochny with East Asia and Southeast Asia, to include stops at Guangzhou.
SITC Container Lines, a major Chinese intra-Asia carrier, has also included Guangzhou in its China-Vietnam-Thailand service, SVT1.
As an important logistics channel in southern China, Guangzhou’s throughput has been rising, and was China’s fourth busiest container port in 2019, with throughput of 21.8 million TEU in 2019, up from 20.36 million TEU in 2018.
Even as China battles the COVID-19 outbreak, the logistics sector is determined to resume operations to facilitate the transportation of medical supplies and equipment.
Guangzhou Port Group’s vice-general manager, Song Xiaoming, said that even when the COVID-19 infections surged in February, resulting in the Lunar New Year holidays being prolonged, the port maintained round-the-clock operations.
The port operator strengthened communication with key manufacturers in the Pearl River Delta, tracked shipment arrangements, and developed logistics solutions, through its barging and ship agency units.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
