Chongqing - The new direct liner from Beibu Gulf Port to Singapore via the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) was recently launched at Qinzhou Port, improving transport efficiency, cutting logistics costs, and speeding up trade between Western China regions and Southeast Asia.

The ILSTC connects Chongqing directly to the Beibu Gulf Port in Guangxi, boosting Chongqing's global connectivity and solidifying its role as a pivotal trade and economic hub. This facilitates local enterprises in swiftly delivering products to international markets, particularly benefiting export-oriented businesses.

Cargo ships at Beibu Gulf Port. (Photo/New Land-Sea Corridor Operation Co., Ltd.)

The public liner operated by China COSCO Shipping Co., Ltd.'s vessel "INSPIRE" is an integral component of the "Tiantianban" logistics services offered by the Beibu Gulf Port Group. "Tiantianban" specializes in cargo transportation, facilitating regular liner services on established routes, including international ports like Laem Chabang in Thailand and Haiphong in Vietnam.

Following the launch, cargo from downbound trains can link with ships bound for Singapore within a day, minimizing waiting times. This benefits enterprises handling perishable and time-sensitive products, enabling quicker delivery to international markets and boosting market responsiveness and global competitiveness.

This opening of the Singapore route for public liners enhances port infrastructure development, including logistics digitization and smart construction. It lays a solid foundation for Beibu Gulf Port's future development and further strengthens its overall competitiveness.

A container is being transported at Beibu Gulf Port. (Photo/New Land-Sea Corridor Operation Co., Ltd.)

Since its launch in 2017, the Qinzhou Port to Singapore route has conducted 637 voyages by June 2024, shipping 112,803 TEUs. It serves ports like Singapore, Laem Chabang (Thailand), and Kuantan (Malaysia), primarily shipping goods to Southeast Asia and transshipping to regions including the Mediterranean, Europe, and Africa.

The ILSTC, initially co-built by Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Gansu, has expanded to 13 provincial-level localities and two cities. Those are 12 western provincial regions, Hainan, Zhanjiang City in Guangdong, and Huaihua City in Hunan. 

It spans 72 cities and 153 stations across 18 provinces and operates intermodal rail-sea services, cross-border road transport, and international rail transport services along the route.