New China-Nanjing to Europe Ro-Ro Shipping Route Opens, Carrying 1,530 New Energy Vehicles on Maiden Voyage

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On the morning of October 11, the newly built ocean-going ro-ro vessel "Guangrong" set sail from the Longtan Port Area of Nanjing Port, China, carrying 1,530 domestically produced new energy vehicles, bound for the Port of Barcelona in Spain and the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, marking the official launch of the new Nanjing-to-Europe automobile ro-ro foreign trade route. The vessel was delivered on October 10 and berthed at the Longtan Port Area for the first time, setting a new record for the largest ro-ro vessel to berth at Nanjing Port.

The "Guangrong" was built by Jinling Shipyard and features a methanol dual-fuel power system. It has a length of 199.9 meters, is equipped with 7,800 standard vehicle slots, and its maximum loading capacity is 81% higher than the previous record for ro-ro vessels berthing at Nanjing Port. Leveraging the Yangtze River's 12.5-meter deep-water channel, the vessel can enter the Longtan Port Area without reducing load or transshipping. This voyage is also the vessel's first ocean-going transport mission since its completion.

The Nanjing Pilot Station arranged three pilots to jointly carry out the inbound pilotage task. The vessel has a maximum draft of approximately 7.9 meters and a hull air draft of approximately 52 meters, with an above-water height of approximately 44 meters based on actual draft. Its inbound and outbound river voyage requires passing through seven bridges, including the Longtan Bridge and the Jiangyin Bridge. As the vehicle loading and unloading ramp is located on the starboard side of the vessel, it needs to complete a turning maneuver in the waters off the wharf front before berthing.

The Nanjing Maritime Safety Administration, together with pilotage, port, tugboat and shipping company parties, formulated a special navigation support plan, implementing dynamic monitoring and temporary traffic control in the waters off the wharf front during the vessel's inbound and berthing operations, and arranging two maritime patrol boats to conduct on-site traffic organization. Maritime safety inspection personnel also inspected the vessel's electromechanical equipment, navigation and communication equipment, and emergency equipment.

With the opening of this route, Nanjing Port's ro-ro foreign trade direct shipping routes have increased to three. Port automobile export transportation includes three modes: ro-ro foreign trade direct shipping, containerized export, and combined container-and-piece-goods direct shipping routes. Among the first two types of direct shipping services, ro-ro foreign trade direct shipping and combined container-and-piece-goods direct shipping routes both began operations in 2025.

In 2025, Nanjing Port's automobile export volume was approximately 13,900 units; in the first nine months of 2026, the automobile export volume reached approximately 29,100 units. Nanjing Port currently also operates 24 international container routes, with monthly container sailings reaching 936. The newly opened Europe ro-ro route adopts a transportation arrangement of local port consolidation, local departure, and direct arrival at overseas ports, so exported vehicles do not need to be first transported to major coastal ports for transshipment.