Shenzhen and Hong Kong: Strengthening Synergy, Advancing Together into the Future
The Transport and Logistics Bureau of Hong Kong endorses the "Kwai Tsing–YANTIAN Connect" and "Chongqing-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Service"
On August 25, 2024, the Transport and Logistics Bureau of Hong Kong highlighted on its social media page the transformative impact of the "Chongqing-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Service" which has drastically reduced the shipping time for cargo from Chongqing to Hong Kong to just three days. This streamlined channel enables cargoes from Chongqing and its surrounding regions to capitalise on the global connectivity of the Kwai Tsing Port in Hong Kong. The Bureau expressed strong optimism about the expanded hinterland of Kwai Tsing Port, underscoring its growing strategic importance.
As two of the Greater Bay Area's premier ports, Kwai Tsing Port and YANTIAN offer distinct yet complementary advantages in global shipping services. The "Kwai Tsing–YANTIAN Connect", which connects these two ports via feeder services, greatly enhances operational efficiency by integrating their respective strengths. This initiative not only streamlines maritime logistics for inland export cargoes, ensuring faster and more direct global access, but also extends the cargo hinterland and boosts throughput for both ports. It serves as a compelling example of how the Greater Bay Area cities can foster deeper collaboration to drive mutual growth and shared prosperity.
This interview is from "The Insider Insights” of YICAI—The Road to Success for Hong Kong Entrepreneurs," a collaborative initiative by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and YICAI.
Full interview transcript
Host: Liu Wenwen
Could you share the background behind the launch of YANTIAN's express service?
Lawrence Shum, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports YANTIAN
In 2023, the Hong Kong SAR government conducted an official visit to Chongqing, followed by a series of events organised by the HKTDC in July. It was during this period that I first proposed the idea of the "Chongqing–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Service". Our vision was to harness the extensive shipping networks and express services of both Hong Kong and Shenzhen to create a more efficient, green logistics corridor for Chongqing's exports.
YANTIAN boasts the most extensive shipping services to Europe and North America in South China, while Hong Kong serves as a key hub for connections across Asia and Central & South America. By integrating the strengths of both ports, we can offer Chongqing exporters a seamless, end-to-end logistics solution with greater efficiency. Collaborating closely with stakeholders from both regions, including railway authorities, we successfully launched the first service within just two months. Previously, it took five days for cargo to travel from Chongqing to YANTIAN—now, shipments can reach YANTIAN in just two days before being transferred onto larger vessels in Hong Kong for onward shipping to Asia or South America.
Host: Liu Wenwen
How has the HKTDC contributed to this initiative?
Lawrence Shum, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports YANTIAN
The HKTDC has played a crucial role in bringing this initiative to fruition. We have worked with the HKTDC for many years, and they have consistently provided strong support to Hong Kong enterprises across different markets. Hong Kong remains the largest source of outside-of-mainland investment in Chongqing, underscoring its strategic importance in fostering economic collaboration. Looking ahead, our ambition is to establish a more integrated trade and logistics network that seamlessly links the Greater Bay Area with the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle.
Host: Liu Wenwen
Over the course of the collaboration from last year to this year, have there been any particularly innovative initiatives by the HKTDC that left a lasting impression on you?
Lawrence Shum, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports YANTIAN
The HKTDC has been proactively identifying innovative strategies across different regions in China, striving to strengthen Hong Kong's role as a global hub by fostering seamless connectivity with other parts of the country. Their efforts have consistently aimed at enhancing services for inland enterprises, helping them integrate more efficiently into international trade networks. We hope to deepen our collaboration with the HKTDC and extend similar initiatives to other regions, including Jiangxi, Hunan, and Hubei, to provide inland foreign trade enterprises with even greater support and logistics solutions.
Host: Liu Wenwen
The express service went from concept to launch in just two months. Why did the HKTDC choose YANTIAN? What was the key opportunity behind this partnership?
Lawrence Shum, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports YANTIAN
YANTIAN has been at the forefront of Shenzhen-Hong Kong collaboration for 31 years. Established as a joint venture between Hutchison Ports and Shenzhen Port Group, we have consistently pushed boundaries and set new global benchmarks. We reached the milestone of handling 100 million TEUs in just 18.5 years and later became the fastest one to achieve an accumulated throughput of 200 million TEUs within 26.5 years.
As a Shenzhen-Hong Kong enterprise, we are uniquely positioned to serve inland foreign trade enterprises—such as those in Chongqing—by providing a high-quality, efficient, and reliable gateway to global markets. Additionally, YANTIAN is recognized for its exceptional operational efficiency and streamlined customs clearance processes. These advantages made us the ideal partner for the HKTDC in launching this initiative.
Host: Liu Wenwen
Going global remains a pressing challenge for many enterprises today. Do you have any new strategic collaboration plans with the HKTDC to address this?
Lawrence Shum, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports YANTIAN
China's international trade remains robust across various sectors, supported by a highly resilient supply chain. We are confident that through close collaboration with the HKTDC, we can effectively navigate any challenges that arise. For example, cross-border e-commerce has become a key driver of China's international trade, and as a major logistics hub, YANTIAN is committed to playing a pivotal role in this space. Moving forward, we aim to enhance connectivity between Chongqing and other inland regions, strengthening China’s cross-border e-commerce ecosystem and fostering its expansion in global markets.
Further reading:
In 2024, the Ministry of Transport, the National Railway Administration, and China Railway Group jointly released the "Exemplary Cases of Developing Container Rail-Sea Intermodal Brand Services". YANTIAN's "Chongqing-Shenzhen Scheduled Service" was successfully selected, making it one of the 12 nationwide cases recognised for its success.
Looking ahead, YANTIAN will continue to deepen maritime and logistics cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. By capitalising on the complementary strengths of YANTIAN and Kwai Tsing Port, it will further increase feeder throughput between the two ports while expanding freight rail services to inland regions. This will create a synergistic logistics network connecting Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and inland China, supporting Shenzhen's development as a logistics hub with global influence and reinforcing Hong Kong's status as an international shipping centre, collectively enhancing the Greater Bay Area's global competitiveness, and contributing to China's "dual carbon" goals and high-quality development of international trade.