It is reported that ALX is the first US-West express service route opened by SLS in Nansha Port Area, which is initially equipped with six 4900TEU-6350TEU container vessels for bi-weekly operation, which will be upgraded to weekly operation. The port of call at the route include: Nansha-Ningbo-Long Beach-Nansha. Under the background where both containers and space are in shortage to hinterland customers generally, Nansha Port Area, as the only port of call of ALX service in South China, cooperates with SLS to provide direct shipping service with stable voyage and fast schedule for the hinterland import and export from/to Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Greater Bay Area.  

"The more than 1,000 containers loaded in the Nansha Port Area this time mainly contain TVs, ovens, microwave ovens, air conditioners and other home appliances. In response to the large promotions of e-commerce, the foreign merchants will generally purchase for three or four months in advance, e-commerce promotion events fall within August, Nansha ushered in a huge export throughput of home appliance." Fu Kai said, the manager of the business department from Nansha Phase III Terminal. As disclosed by industry insiders, the new route provides a good opportunity for exporting Guangdong-made home appliances to the North American market directly, which can further reduce the transportation costs and time costs of exports to North America.

The Pearl River Delta region is an important production base of domestic household appliances industry, and the high-quality and low-price household appliances have always been hot-selling products abroad. The Nansha Port Area of Guangzhou Port where is located in the geographical and geometric center area of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, is regarded as the only deep-water container terminal on the west bank of the Pearl River. For enterprises in the hinterland of the west and southwest regions, it offers the shortest comprehensive short-distance transportation route, the shortest transportation time and the lowest transportation cost for their goods’ import and export at Guangzhou Port. SLS has chosen Nansha Port Area as the only port of call for ALX route in South China region, due to its comprehensive advantages of proximity to the source hinterland, high operating efficiency and excellent business environment.

In May this year, the World Bank and IHS Markit, the world's leading information service company, released the ranking of Global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI). Guangzhou Port stood out from 351 ports in the world. The container port performance index was ranked the sixth place, and it was also the first port among the top five ports in the world in terms of container throughput. With superior location, developed transportation system, excellent customs clearance efficiency and high-quality and efficient operation, it highlighted the international container service brand of Guangzhou Port, and established its reputation in the industry and attracted many shipping companies to open additional routes. Since 2021, Guangzhou Port has newly added 15 foreign trade routes. Up to now, Guangzhou Port has opened 180 container liner routes, 135 are foreign trade routes. Nansha Port has opened 160 liner routes. The rapid growth of air routes has driven the rapid development of foreign trade. Statistic data show the total import and export value of foreign trade business of Nansha in the first half of this year exceeded 120 billion Yuan, with a year-on-year increase of 21.5%, among which the throughput of foreign trade containers in Nansha Port increased by 16.3%. (Text by Zhang Minmin, Ma Yindong and Lin Yilun; Photo by Zhu Junkun)