Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding has commenced the construction of six 21,000 TEU container ships, setting a new record for China's shipbuilding industry and showcasing its competitive strength in the market.
Yingkou Port actively participates in the Belt and Road initiative, with a 4% increase in throughput in the first three quarters. Both foreign trade and container volumes have significantly risen, and new international trains to Europe have been launched, establishing a sea-rail intermodal network that enhances its role as a key transit hub in Northeast Asia. Domestic trade routes cover over 30 ports with 420 flights, promoting the port's digital transformation and integration into cross-border e-commerce. Yingkou Port demonstrates great development potential, contributing to regional economic growth.
Dalian Port Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Russian Far East Transport Group, focusing on the infrastructure renovation of Nakhodka Port and the establishment of a container transshipment station. This initiative will enhance the port's throughput capacity, promote economic cooperation between Dalian, Liaoning, and the Primorsky Krai, facilitate trade between the two countries, improve logistics efficiency, and expand the market in the Far East region.
The inaugural flight of the 'Huangpu-Incheon' international route has improved logistics efficiency between China and South Korea, leading to a 28.5% year-on-year increase in container import and export volume.
On August 1, 2023, the inaugural container train from Tianjin to Inner Mongolia officially set off, marking the launch of the 'New Port - Suji' service. This new route is expected to reduce road transport and increase the proportion of railway transport, potentially decreasing the use of 66,000 vehicles and lowering overall costs by 15%.
The container shipping market is facing a dual challenge of declining demand and rapid capacity growth. An estimated 5 million TEUs of new ships are expected to be delivered over the next two years, leading to the highest capacity growth in 20 years, while freight rates continue to plummet, increasing market risks. Although there remains a willingness to pay for some capacity, factors such as global economic slowdown and rising inflation create significant uncertainty for future trends. Industry experts warn that the sector must seek transformation under pressure to enhance competitiveness.
The severe congestion at Lagos Port has resulted in over 4,000 containers being delayed, prompting industry calls for customs auctions. High clearance fees and dock charges are forcing importers to abandon their goods, creating a vicious cycle. The government urgently needs to implement effective measures to improve the port's condition to avoid economic losses and prevent goods from spoiling.
The quality of global container shipping services has sharply declined, with on-time performance dropping to 56%, posing significant challenges for shipping companies. Routes from Asia to the U.S. have shown particularly poor results, with record-low on-time rates leading to shipper dissatisfaction. The rise in trade volume due to global economic recovery has exacerbated capacity constraints and high shipping costs. The shortage of container equipment needs urgent attention, and shipping companies must improve transparency and service quality to alleviate pressure on customers.
The 2018 overview of China's coastal cargo ships shows a trend of increasing capacity across various ship categories. Bulk carriers, container ships, and liquid hazardous goods vessels have all seen growth in tonnage and numbers, reflecting a healthy industry development and proactive structural adjustments.
The Malaysian government is fully committed to transforming Kuala Lumpur International Airport into a regional freight hub by enhancing flight connectivity and frequencies. Last year, the airport handled 874,000 metric tons of freight, and this figure is expected to reach 940,000 metric tons this year. Infrastructure improvements have also elevated Port Klang and Tanjung Pelepas Port among the top in global container throughput. The transport department will propose the construction of a low-cost airline airport to enhance domestic air service capacity.
