Guangdong port steps up efficiency, throughput

At Xuwen Port, the world's largest roll-on/roll-off passenger and cargo terminal, trucks drove onto a ship on Wednesday morning, heading for Haikou, capital of Hainan province.

The passenger and cargo ship, crossing the Qiongzhou Strait, was scheduled to arrive at Xinhai Port in Haikou within the hour.

Since the port in Xuwen was put into operation in September 2020, the efficiency of passenger and cargo transportation has greatly improved, according to Luo Hongxia, Party chief of Xuwen county in Zhanjiang, a coastal city in western Guangdong province.

Xuwen Port has realized separation of passengers, vehicles and cargos, and diversion of vehicles and passengers entering and leaving the port, according to the port authority.

"The port will be developed into a modern water and land transportation hub for connecting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Hainan Free Trade Port," Luo said.

Since its opening in September 2020, Xuwen Port's efficiency as the main shipping channel of the Qiongzhou Strait has gradually become prominent, and more than 90 percent of livelihood materials and one third of passengers to Hainan are transported through the Qiongzhou Strait.

As of June 2, 2023, the vehicle throughput of Xuwen Port reached about 9.26 million, with the passenger throughput hitting about 27 million visits and cargo throughput being about 23.29 million tons.