With port services brought closer to enterprises, YANTIAN is making access to global markets faster, easier, and more seamless. Since the beginning of this year, YANTIAN's rail-sea services have continued to accelerate, while its inland port network has expanded deeper into Southwest China and the manufacturing heartland of the Greater Bay Area. By extending port functions further inland, YANTIAN is strengthening the logistics arteries that connect domestic and international trade with stable, efficient, end-to-end services.

To date, YANTIAN has established 37 inland ports and 38 rail-sea services across China.

From January to July this year, YANTIAN's rail-sea service volumes increased by 42% year on year, while export laden container volumes grew by 34%.

July 22: The YANTIAN–Kunming Inland Port was officially inaugurated, seamlessly connecting the coastal hub with an inland logistics node. The new facility helps overcome the logistics challenges faced by inland regions by providing an efficient gateway to the sea and global markets. It serves as a new gateway for Central Yunnan's opening-up, a new benchmark for rail-sea service, and a new engine for industrial development, helping Made in Yunnan products reach overseas markets more efficiently.

July 30: The YANTIAN–Zhongshan Inland Port was officially inaugurated at Huangpu Depot, alongside the launch of the first Changhong-dedicated rail-sea service. The new service provides home appliance manufacturers in the Greater Bay Area with another stable, efficient gateway to international markets.

YANTIAN is bringing key port functions, including customs declaration, cargo inspection, storage, and vessel booking, closer to enterprises in inland regions. They can now access world-class port services closer to home, with inland terminals providing a seamless extension of the port. With greater reliability and more efficient services, YANTIAN is helping Intelligent Manufacturing in China reach markets around the world.

The following content is excerpted from information provided by China Railway Guangzhou Group.

Recently, the first Changhong-dedicated rail-sea service between Zhongshan Huangpu Station and Yantian Port was launched, carrying home appliances by rail directly to Yantian Port for onward shipment to overseas markets. The new service further strengthens the export logistics network for home appliance manufacturers across the Greater Bay Area.

On the same day, the Yantian Port–Zhongshan Inland Port was officially inaugurated at Huangpu Depot, bringing key port services closer to Zhongshan's manufacturing hub, making local enterprises' connections to global markets faster and more efficient.

Huangpu, Zhongshan, and the surrounding areas form the Greater Bay Area's major home appliance manufacturing hubs, supported by a complete industrial chain. Hundreds of manufacturers are concentrated in the area, with products exported to markets around the world.

The newly launched Changhong rail-sea service for home appliances connects factories, rail transport, and the port through a dedicated rail link between Zhongshan Huangpu Station and Yantian Port. Cargo delivered to Huangpu Station in the morning can reach Yantian Port the same afternoon, cutting transit time by 25% and reducing overall logistics costs by approximately 18% compared with road transportation. Operating regularly from Monday to Saturday, the service is designed to align closely with exporters' shipping schedules.

Compared with road transportation, which can be affected by holiday traffic and road congestion, rail-sea services provide direct access to the terminal and are less vulnerable to external traffic disruptions. This offers customers greater certainty in transit times and more reliable export logistics.

"We plan train departure times backward from vessel schedules to ensure cargo arrives in time for loading. A dedicated container yard enables efficient pickup and return of containers, eliminating unnecessary waiting caused by reshuffle of containers. We have also established an information-sharing chat group to coordinate all parties and ensure seamless connections throughout the logistics process. Stable rail freight rates and reliable transit times help reduce uncertainties across the export supply chain and provide exporters with an efficient and dependable logistics channel," said Lin Haiwei, head of freight operations at Zhongshan Huangpu Station, Guangzhou Railway Logistics Centre, China Railway Guangzhou Group.

To ensure the reliable and efficient operation of the dedicated service, China Railway Guangzhou Group has assembled a dedicated task force and developed customised transport solutions tailored to the wide range of home appliance products and specifications. The team closely monitors every stage of the logistics process, from cargo loading and consolidation to transit and final delivery, improving the efficiency of cargo handling and dispatch. The service has already attracted major manufacturers, including Midea, Changhong, and HOMA, to shift freight from road to rail.

"Rail transport has brought logistics services right to our doorstep, helping us significantly reduce logistics costs. By moving cargoes by rail from the station closest to our factory to seaports such as Yantian Port, we have streamlined the connections between different stages of transportation and significantly improved logistics efficiency," said Li Miao, Head of International Logistics Department, Changhong International Region.

Meanwhile, the Yantian Port–Zhongshan Inland Port is a strategic initiative jointly advanced by the railway and port sectors to support China's efforts to optimise its transportation structure and promote rail-sea transport. It also represents another important step in better serving manufacturers in Zhongshan and helping enterprises reduce logistics costs and improve efficiency.

The opening of the Yantian Port–Zhongshan Inland Port brings key functions of Yantian Port, including customs declaration, cargo inspection, container storage, and vessel booking, closer to the manufacturing hub. This enables an integrated logistics model that combines inland port services, local customs processing, rail-sea transport, and seamless access to global markets.

Enterprises can now complete the full range of procedures—from container loading and customs declaration to inspection and clearance—close to their factories, eliminating the need for repeated trips to coastal port areas. Leveraging the high capacity, cost efficiency, and reliable schedules of rail-sea transport, the inland port helps lower trunk-line logistics costs, shorten customs clearance times, improve the reliability of export transit times, and ease congestion at seaports. As a result, even cities located far from the coast can benefit from convenient port services close to home, providing strong logistics support for the development of the region's export-oriented economy.

Lang Zhenglin, Deputy Director of Guangzhou Railway Logistics Centre, said: "The inland port will soon enable integrated customs clearance, truly making it possible for cargo to be treated as arriving at the port as soon as it reaches the inland terminal. By expanding the inland port network, we can consolidate cargo from manufacturers in Zhongshan and surrounding areas, encourage more home appliance products to use rail-sea services for export, and boost both regional cargo volumes and transport efficiency. This is also an important step in strengthening the competitiveness of multimodal transport, with railways set to play an increasingly important role in providing efficient and reliable logistics connectivity."

Contact Information of YANTIAN Rail-Sea Services

Mr. Zhan
Tel: +86 136 4090 6030
+86 755 2529 6456
Email: Yassin.Zhan@pingyan.com.cn

Zhongshan—Ms. Yan
Tel: +86 138 2433 1549
+86 755 2529 8401
Email: Wendy.yan@pingyan.com.cn