Traffic Density from Lianyungang to West Africa Ranks Top in China

From: Lianyungang Daily Updated: 2023-10-10 09:43

Yesterday, themed with "Gathering Wisdom, Strengthening Chain, Integrating Innovation with Coexistence, and Building a New Pattern of Special Line", the 2023 (6th) China Nepal Logistics Special Line Supply Chain Platform High-end Forum was held in our city, attracting representatives of multiple core member units and special line customers from China-Nepal Logistics Special Line Supply Chain Platform both domestically and internationally. At the meeting, Lianyungang Port Holding Group Co., Ltd. signed a package of strategic cooperation agreements with clients such as Sinoma International Engineering Co., Ltd.

Nigeria is the largest oil producing and exporting country in Africa, and also the largest economy in West Africa. In 2018, Lianyungang, China opened a special railway line to Lagos, Nigeria (hereinafter referred to as the China-Nigeria logistics railway line), and a China-Nigeria special logistics supply chain platform was established by Chinese ports, shipping companies, shipping agents and other parties to provide customers with China-Nigeria full logistics supply chain services. For the past six years, the traffic density of the route from Lianyungang to West Africa has always been among the top in the country. The export volume of bulk goods at Lianyungang Port has increased year by year from 1.082 million tons in 2018 to 2.07 million tons in 2022. From January to September this year, 1.75 million tons were completed, a year-on-year increase of 9%.

As one of the organizers of this forum, in recent years, Lianyungang Port has relied on its unique geographical advantages to continuously deepen regional cooperation, actively seek win-win results from multiple parties, comprehensively improve the level of connectivity, and expand the service content of efficient customs clearance and trade facilitation. By increasing market development efforts, strengthening service awareness, innovating loading and unloading processes, optimizing site turnover and optimizing resource allocation, we have continuously improved operational efficiency and created a customized logistics service model for the entire supply chain, achieving seamless connection between Chinese ports and Nigeria.

“Lianyungang Port always pursues its own development goal of building the most convenient sea port in the central and western regions and serving the import and export trade of ‘the Belt and Road’ countries.” The chairman of the Port Holding Group introduces that the “Maritime Silk Road” from China to Nigeria has been developed into an international trade channel with convenient transportation and diversified types of goods, which has strongly promoted the business of “Lianyungang-West Africa” to flourish, effectively consolidating Lianyungang’s leading position in the density of West African routes and the volume of bulk cargo business in coastal ports across the country.

“The successful cooperation case between Lianyungang and Nigeria has been continuously replicated, and customers from Southeast Asia and other regions are also interested in joining.” said Zhu, Deputy General Manager of the Production Business Department of Port Holding Group. Xu He, General Manager of Dongfang Port Branch, stated that relying on the China-Nigeria special logistics line, the throughput of bulk cargo at Lianyungang Port has increased by 92% in the past six years. Among them, plywood, ton bags and vehicles have increased by 205%, 1500% and 1120% respectively, continuously consolidating the position of being the top port for plywood exports and the five basic ports for mechanical vehicle exports in China.

It is reported that in the next step, Lianyungang Port will take the forum’s joint discussion and construction as a new starting point for innovation, focus on improving the service level of international hub seaports, expand the comprehensive advantages of land-sea intermodal transportation channels, accelerate the construction of deep-water berths, professional docks and commercial platforms, strive to create a regional cargo distribution center, continue to focus on deepening port, waterway, road trade cooperation and optimize “one-stop” full logistics services. The port will deeply integrate into the new development pattern of dual circulation, promote high-level opening up to the outside world, and serve as a two-way opening hub with global convergence.