10,000-ton cargo ship berths at Changsha new port

A cargo ship named “Xinglong 8899” fully loaded with 11,000 tons of goods berthed at the Changsha New Port on April 7. It is the largest cargo ship with loads handled at the port since its beginning of operation, and also the largest cargo ship passing through the Xiangjiang River Hub. This marked that the navigation conditions in the Xiangjiang River reached a new level.

The “Xinglong 8899” cargo ship, 120 meters in length and 21 meters in width, has a drought of 6.5 meters and a deadweight tonnage of 15,000 tons. It started off from the Taicang Port in Jiangsu Province, loaded with imported iron ore.

In the past, 10,000 tons of building materials had to be divided equally into five batches to be shipped from Shanghai to Changsha. The logistics cost of 400,000 yuan had to be paid. Today, the Changsha New Port is capable of accommodating 10,000-ton cargo ships. Thus, 10,000 tons of goods can be shipped at one time, which can shorten the unloading time and save 30,000 yuan of logistics cost, said Liu Shengbin, the logistics manager in Changsha.

According to the General Layout Plan of Main Port Hubs in Changsha, fourteen 1,000-ton berths will be constructed, with a maximum handling capacity of 12 million tons. A special rail line connecting the port and the Changsha North Railway Station is under construction. Upon its completion, a rail-river combined transport service will be provided, which can cut the logistics cost by 20%.

In the light of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan (CZT) Metropolitan Area Development Plan issued last month, Hunan will enhance study on improving navigation conditions in the main waterway of the Xiangjiang River, and strive to achieve the 3,000-ton routine navigation capacity in the lower reaches of the Xiangjiang River.

Translator: Pang Yuehui