On June 24, 2026, at the Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain (AFLAS) Awards, which is widely regarded as the "Oscars of the logistics industry", held in Shanghai, YANTIAN received the prestigious titles of Best Global Container Terminal and Best Sustainable Container Terminal, achieving a remarkable double win.

First-Ever Global Title, Fifth Sustainability Award in Eight Years

Having previously won the Best Container Terminal–Asia (Over 4 Million TEUs) award on three occasions, YANTIAN reached another major milestone by securing the Best Global Container Terminal title for the first time. This landmark achievement not only marks a new chapter in the terminal's award history, but also reflects global industry recognition of its excellence in terminal operations, extensive shipping network, and integrated service capabilities.

YANTIAN also continued to stand out for its achievements in sustainable development. Since 2019, it has received the Best Sustainable Container Terminal award (formerly the Best Green Container Terminal award) five times over the past eight years, making it the only container terminal in the world to have earned this distinction five times. This outstanding record reflects the terminal's sustained commitment to green and low-carbon development, supported by continuous investment and concrete action.

Mr. Lawrence Shum, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports YANTIAN, attended the award ceremony and said, "This prestigious recognition reflects the trust and support of our customers, while also affirming YANTIAN's unique natural deep-water harbour, extensive global shipping network, outstanding operational management, and high-quality customer service. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our business partners, customers, government authorities, shareholders, and especially all our employees for their dedication and hard work. Looking ahead, in line with the three priorities of APEC China 2026—Openness, Innovation and Cooperation—YANTIAN will continue to work closely with our customers and partners, including the Kwai Tsing Port in Hong Kong, to build a faster, smarter, greener, and more resilient global supply chain and industrial chain."

Expanding the Shipping Network to Strengthen Connectivity between APEC Economies and the Greater Bay Area

As one of the world's largest single container terminals, YANTIAN delivered another strong performance in 2025, with annual container throughput exceeding 16 million TEUs, a record high. According to China Customs statistics, during the first five months of this year, imports and exports between Chinese mainland enterprises and other APEC economies handled through Yantian Port reached CNY395.8 billion, accounting for more than half of the port's total trade value during the same period. This highlights Yantian Port's role as a key gateway connecting the Greater Bay Area with APEC member economies.

Shenzhen will host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in 2026. Seizing this opportunity, YANTIAN has continued to leverage its role as an international shipping hub in the Greater Bay Area. Since the beginning of this year, it has launched 10 new services connecting APEC economies, providing strong support for trade between the Greater Bay Area, APEC economies, and the rest of the world, while helping ensure the stability and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains.

While strengthening its international shipping services, YANTIAN has also continued to enhance its integrated logistics network with seamless connectivity across domestic and international markets. Home to Shenzhen's only railway with direct access to the port, YANTIAN has continued to expand its rail-sea service, feeder service, and port alliance networks. It now operates 35 inland ports, 37 rail-sea services, 15 port alliances within the Greater Bay Area, and 17 feeder services, serving the Greater Bay Area, Southwest China and Central China. Scheduled rail-sea services, including the Chengdu–Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Rail-Sea Service and the Chongqing-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Rail-Sea Service, are now operating on a regular basis.

YANTIAN has also remained committed to promoting Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation by working with the Kwai Tsing Port to strengthen connectivity across domestic and international markets. The feeder service between YANTIAN and Hong Kong has been operating for more than 32 years and now provides six daily sailings. Container volumes on the service have continued to grow year on year. Following nearly 30% growth in laden container volume on the Hong Kong service in 2024, volumes increased by a further 10% in 2025, reaching another record high.

Improving Efficiency While Reducing Carbon: Ten Years of Growth Without Higher Emissions

Green and sustainable development is a key driver of YANTIAN's continued international recognition. In recent years, YANTIAN has pursued a development path that combines higher efficiency with lower carbon emissions. The figures speak for themselves:

• A decade of progress (2015–2025): Annual container throughput increased by 25%, while carbon emissions per TEU fell by 32%, achieving growth without higher carbon emissions.

• Leading China in shore power: YANTIAN was the first terminal in China to achieve 100% shore power coverage across all berths. It was also among the first to deploy shore power on a large scale and remains a national leader in berth-side power supply capacity. It ranks first among individual terminals nationwide in shore power consumption, accounting for one quarter of the total shore power consumed by terminals across China.

• A diversified green energy supply system: In November 2022, YANTIAN completed South China's first LNG bunkering operation for an international oceangoing vessel, becoming the fourth hub port in the world and the first in South China capable of providing LNG bunkering services. It subsequently completed the Greater Bay Area's first green methanol bunkering operation, Shenzhen's first bonded LNG bunkering operation at anchorage, and China's first simultaneous LNG bunkering operation for two vessels, establishing a diversified green energy supply system covering LNG, methanol, and shore power.

• One of the world's largest ports for under-chassis battery swapping: YANTIAN and CATL QIJI have jointly advanced the deployment of under-chassis battery-swapping heavy trucks through a three-station network. Together with the world's first in-port battery-swapping station for terminal heavy trucks, the port's three battery-swapping stations can serve more than 260 under-chassis battery-swapping heavy trucks, with each battery swap taking approximately five minutes.

• Multimodal transport reduces carbon emissions: Feeder transport and rail-sea services are key components for the port to connect domestic and international markets. A single feeder vessel can carry multiple shipments and is largely unaffected by adverse weather or holiday traffic congestion. By replacing road transport, feeder services help ease road traffic while significantly reducing carbon emissions. Compared with road transport, rail transport can reduce carbon emissions per unit of freight turnover by 90%. A fully loaded freight train has the carrying capacity of approximately 100 conventional container trucks, playing an important role in reducing environmental pollution and traffic accidents, lowering energy consumption, optimising the transport structure, and supporting the high-quality development of China's foreign trade.

The three priorities of APEC China 2026—Openness, Innovation and Cooperation—are closely reflected in YANTIAN's development. Building on the opportunities presented by the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period and the APEC China Year, YANTIAN will continue to respond to customer needs and market changes by further enhancing its shipping services, multimodal transport, smart port development, and low-carbon initiatives, while strengthening its integrated port service capabilities. At the same time, YANTIAN will continue to work closely with government and port supervision authorities, shipping lines, railway operators, and logistics partners to optimise resource allocation and improve operational efficiency, providing customers with more stable, efficient, low-carbon, and reliable logistics solutions. It will also contribute new momentum to China's dual carbon goals and the high-quality development of foreign trade, strengthen its role as a key node in the global supply chain, support the growth of the real economy, and contribute to the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

Hosted by Asia Cargo News, the AFLAS Awards are designed to honour leading service providers including air and shipping lines, airports and seaports, 3PLs, and other associated industry professionals for demonstrating leadership as well as consistency in service quality, innovation, customer-relationship management, and reliability.