Lianyungang-Shanghai "Sea Bus" Accelerates Integration of Port and Shipping in the Yangtze River Delta

From: Lianyungang Updated: 2024-10-20 09:05

Can sea transportation be as convenient as a bus? Lianyungang Port proves with actions that it can, offering a weekly "Sea Bus" service known as the Lian-Shen Express for 5 to 7 days a week. As the first fruit of cooperation between Lianyungang Port Holding Group and Shanghai Port Group, the Lian-Shen Express aims to make "arriving at Lianyungang Port equivalent to arriving at Shanghai Port", continuously enhancing service quality and efficiency. Since the beginning of this year, it has handled nearly 100,000 TEUs, a year-on-year increase of nearly 20%. The collaboration between these two major domestic and foreign trade hub ports promotes a win-win situation and advances the high-quality integration of ports and shipping in the Yangtze River Delta.

At 8 a.m., at Berth 29 of the container terminal of Lianyungang Port, the MV "Sea Peak" was loading cargo. Twenty TEUs of solar photovoltaic modules from the hinterland around Lianyungang were being loaded onto the ship, destined for Yangshan Port of Shanghai and then transferred to Spain in Shanghai. This inland feeder service, jointly established by Lianyungang Port and Shanghai Port in 2007, was upgraded to the Lian-Shen Express in 2023. Bulk commodities such as solar panels, chemical fibers, and steel coils produced by enterprises in the hinterland of Lianyungang can reach Shanghai Port directly through this service, saving time and money.

"We minimize the time Lian-Shen Express vessels spend in port and at berth to improve transit efficiency, ensuring that transit cargo can catch up with the ocean-going mother vessel in time, saving time for customers and achieving 'late arrival and early departure'." said Mr. Jiang, the Business Development Manager of Lianyungang Interconnection Container Co., Ltd. He provided us with an economic analysis. If transported by land, with each container weighing 28 tons, the cost from Suqian to Shanghai is approximately 6,000 yuan per TEU. However, if transported by the Lian-Shen Express's land-to-water mode, the freight rate is only 3,600 yuan, saving 40%.

The distance between Lianyungang Port and Shanghai Port is approximately 400 nautical miles, and the Lian-Shen Express Service enables shipments to reach Yangshan Port or Waigaoqiao Port within two days. For Lianyungang Port, the seamless connection with Shanghai Port through the "Sea Bus" can effectively fill the current void in shipping routes, further enrich the container shipping route service network of Lianyungang, improve its shipping logistics service functions, and provide more convenient and efficient options for cargo exports.

Over time, more and more customers have recognized the Lian-Shen Express Service. "Initially, customers were not too receptive. They argued that the Lian-Shen Express Service added a barge transportation link, which would be slower than direct road transportation in terms of timeliness. However, for enterprises that focus on comprehensive logistics costs, it can actually save logistics costs significantly." said Li Ping, the Commercial Manager of Jiangsu Meinuoda Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd., a freight forwarding company. After the containers are delivered to Lianyungang Port, they no longer need to worry about communication with Shanghai Port. Many customers face high costs for transporting their goods to the port by road for export. Now, with the increased frequency of routes at Lianyungang Port, customers are provided with more diverse route options, which ultimately save them money.

Currently, Lianyungang Port is expanding new business models such as "Longhai Railway + Lian-Shen Express Service" and "China-Europe Train + Lian-Shen Express Service". Shanghai Port ensures that Lian-Shen Express Service vessels can berth within three hours of arrival to ensure timely transfer of cargo to ocean-going mother vessels and provides free ocean-going mother vessel space reservation services for Lian-Shen Express Service's transit cargo. Meanwhile, Lianyungang Port is focusing on accelerating loading and unloading efficiency and optimizing documentation processes to minimize transit time.