Lianyungang, Shanghai, and Henan Join Hands to Open New Outbound Channel for Central and Western Chinese Goods

From: Lianyungang Daily Updated: 2025-05-22 08:47

Yesterday, the first batch of export-bound coal from Henan’s Zhoukou Port was transferred via Xinyuntai Inland River Terminal to Lianyungang Port, before being shipped to Shanghai’s Yangshan Port via the dedicated “Lianyungang-Shanghai Express Line”. This marks the official launch of the “Zhoukou-Lianyungang” inland river container foreign trade corridor. Supported by Shanghai Port, this new route provides central and western Chinese provinces with an efficient maritime gateway, injecting strong momentum into regional foreign trade development.

On May 19, the coal-laden container ship “Shunhang 996” docked at Lianyungang’s Xinyuntai Terminal—the first time since the 2019 establishment of the Jiangsu-Shandong-Henan-Anhui Inter-Port Alliance for River-Sea Multimodal Transport that Lianyungang Port has handled transit export cargo from eastern Henan. “Lianyungang Port has long been the most convenient gateway for Henan. This time, we’ve opened a dedicated storage area for eastern Henan cargo at Xinyuntai Terminal, along with a ‘green channel’ for expedited services. We’re very satisfied with the thoughtful arrangements,” said Mr. Li, a Henan-based trader. He noted that eastern Henan enterprises using this route could reduce per-container costs by 10% compared to traditional transport methods.

To establish this corridor as a model route, Lianyungang and Zhoukou ports have collaborated to innovate a “river-to-sea express” logistics system for foreign trade. By integrating port-shipping coordination, information sharing, and process optimization, they introduced a “direct port entry” model that shortens overall transport time by approximately 12 hours.

Notably, Lianyungang Port has implemented an advanced container digital management system, enabling full-process digital oversight from electronic vessel and cargo declarations to real-time tracking, ensuring rapid matching of Zhoukou cargo with ocean-going routes. “By integrating ‘inland river shipping, coastal ports, and international liner services’, and leveraging the Lianyungang-Shanghai Express Line, we aim to position Lianyungang Port as a premier platform for coal, chemicals, and other eastern Henan foreign trade goods,” explained a representative from Xinyuntai Terminal. With Lianyungang’s extensive ocean-going route network, eastern Henan can now accelerate both domestic and international logistics circulation.

Compared to conventional transport, eastern Henan enterprises using this route achieve carbon emission reductions of at least 23 tons per 10,000 tons of cargo, delivering both economic and environmental benefits.

Building on the success of this initial collaboration, Lianyungang Port will deepen its “twin-port synergy” mechanism with Zhoukou Port, exploring joint ventures and closer integration to foster mutual development and forge a “Zhoukou-Lianyungang Golden Waterway”.

Looking ahead, the planned opening of the Suqian-Lianyungang Waterway will further enhance Lianyungang’s connectivity to inland river networks in Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui, enabling 2,000-ton vessels to reach Lianyungang directly. This will attract more cargo from the Huai River basin, injecting fresh vitality into the “dual circulation” logistics corridor.