Guoyuan Port handles 26m tons of cargo throughput in Jan-Nov

Guoyuan Port, the largest port in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, develops into an important multi-mode transport hub. [Photo by Wang Jiaxi] 

From January to November, Guoyuan Port National Logistics Hub in Liangjiang New Area reported 26 million metric tons of cargo throughput, up 4.3 percent year-on-year.

Located at the junction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Guoyuan Port has gradually become a logistics hub for global trade and an important fulcrum of the International Land-Sea Trade Corridor that connects the port city clusters along the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

A robust development industry and optimized logistics services contributed to the growth in cargo throughput. 

Industry-wise, the auto sector stands out as a major growth driver. In the first 11 months of this year, Guoyuan Port handled 12 billion yuan ($1.64 billion) in vehicles and 200 million yuan in knocked-down (KD) parts. Liangjiang-based carmakers have accumulated 19.2 billion yuan in exports, surging 52 percent year-on-year.

Service-wise, innovative transformation models and optimized business environment are contributing factors. 

Earlier in December, the first cold-chain train linking Guoyuan Port and Nansha Port, Guangzhou completed a trial service. Frozen beef worth 6.78 million yuan was transported to Guoyuan Port by rail after arriving at Nansha Port from Santos Port in Brazil. 

The sea-rail cold chain transportation model allows for door-to-door comprehensive logistics services that cover warehouses, logistics, and customs clearance. The trial service cut the transportation time by one-third and trimmed logistics costs by 10 percent, said a relevant official.

Guoyuan Port is the sole multi-model logistics hub in southwest China to implement the Departure Port Tax Rebate Policy for both sea and rail transport. Under the policy, eligible companies can improve cash flow efficiency by applying for tax rebates immediately after the goods leave the departure port. 

As of October, Chongqing Customs had approved more than 140,000 applications for the policy, benefiting 4,359 companies with goods valued at 90.68 billion yuan.