New technology boosts Chinese vehicles in going global

Photo of Liberian-flagged vessel the Qingdao Voyager. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_nanshafabu]

Newly built Liberian-flagged vessel the Qingdao Voyager docked on March 1 at the container terminal at Nansha port in Guangzhou – capital of South China's Guangdong province – carrying 68 locally made vehicles bound for Brazil.

The berthing of the container ship marked the first use of a special foldable frame for commercial vehicles that was independently developed by COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers – a novel technology primarily used for the transportation and storage of vehicles to enhance the efficiency of logistics.

The route has adopted a leading global solution for shipping passenger cars using the technology – offering more flexibility compared to traditional roll-on/roll-off vessels.

Huang Xiansheng, the port captain of COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers – dedicated to the Qingdao Voyager – said each frame was in effect a mobile three-dimensional garage, enabling more convenient marine services. "Currently, we have received orders for shipping nearly 1,000 cars from a domestic car manufacturer for the next two voyages," he said.

As the Nansha automotive base continues to evolve, Nansha Automobile Port is shaping an automotive industry ecosystem with a "front port, rear factory" approach.

Shen Jiayu – business promotions manager of Nansha Port – said that by synergizing its internal resources, her company had achieved seamless integration from container loadings to vessel loadings.

This was assisting domestic car manufacturers and shipping companies to attract orders from emerging markets such as South America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East through containerized transportation in a small group.