Development of Domestic Container Waterborne Transport in China
Early Stage of Domestic Container Transport
China’s domestic containerized water transport began relatively early. In the 1950s, wooden containers were already in use for cargo movement between Shanghai Port and Dalian Port.
By the 1970s, steel containers—primarily in 5-ton and 10-ton specifications—were introduced into the railway system and gradually extended into maritime transportation.
However, due to several limiting factors such as:
• High operational costs
• Underdeveloped productivity
• Limited market potential
• Insufficient domestic demand
Rise of Standardized Domestic Container Transport
The continuous deepening of China’s reform and opening-up, alongside economic system reforms, significantly accelerated the growth of the nation’s import and export trade.
Container transportation began to thrive, particularly in coastal regions, where the infrastructure and logistics demand were more developed.
The expansion of foreign trade container services created favorable conditions for the growth of the domestic container transport market, providing:
• Valuable operational experience
• Extensive logistics networks
• Robust information platforms
A key milestone occurred on December 16, 1996, when China’s first scheduled domestic container liner, the vessel “Fengshun”, departed from Xiamen Port carrying international standard general-purpose containers.This event marked the formal beginning of standardized domestic containerized transport at Chinese ports.
The characteristics of domestic trade maritime container transportation include:
01. High efficiency
Containerized transportation allows goods to be loaded and unloaded quickly, reduces the number of transit and handling, and improves the overall transportation efficiency. At the same time, the standardized container size allows ships and port facilities to be better matched, further improving transportation efficiency.
02. Economical
Container transportation by sea is usually more economical than land transportation. Especially for bulk goods and long-distance transportation, maritime container transportation can significantly reduce transportation costs.
03. Safety
The container has a strong structure and sealing performance, which can effectively protect the goods from the damage of the external environment. At the same time, the safety measures during maritime transportation also ensure the safe transportation of goods.
04. Flexibility
Containerized transportation makes it convenient for goods to be transferred from one port to another, realizing the seamless connection of multimodal transportation. This flexibility enables domestic maritime container transportation to adapt to various logistics needs.
05. Environmental protection
Compared with road transportation, sea container transportation has lower carbon emissions, which helps to reduce environmental pollution. In addition, containerized transportation also reduces the generation of packaging waste, which is conducive to environmental protection.
| South China Routes | Destination Ports | Transit Time |
| Shanghai - Guangzhou | Guangzhou (via Nansha Phase IV, Shekou, Zhongshan, Xiaolan, Zhuhai International Terminal, Xinhui, Shunde, Nan’an, Heshan, Huadu, Longgui, Sanjiao, Zhaoqing, Xinhui, Fanyu, Gongyi, Yueping) | 3 days |
| Shanghai - Dongguan Intl. | Dongguan (via Haikou, Jiangmen, Yangjiang, Leliu, Tongde, Zhongshan, Xiaolan, Zhuhai Terminal, Xinhui, Shunde, Nan’an, Heshan, Huadu, Longgui, Sanjiao, Zhaoqing, Xinhui, Gongyi, Yueping) | 3 days |
| Shanghai - Xiamen | Xiamen (via Quanzhou, Fuqing, Fuzhou, Chaozhou, Shantou, Xuwen, Yangpu, Zhanjiang, Beihai, Fangcheng, Tieshan, Jieyang) | 3 days |
| Taicang - Jieyang | Jieyang | 5 days |
| Taicang - Zhanjiang | Zhanjiang | 5 days |
| Taicang - Haikou | Haikou | 7 days |
| North China Routes | Destination Ports | Transit Time |
| Shanghai/Taicang - Yingkou | Yingkou | 2.5 days |
| Shanghai - Jingtang | Jingtang (via Tianjin) | 2.5 days |
| Shanghai Luojing - Tianjin | Tianjin (via Pacific International Terminal) | 2.5 days |
| Shanghai - Dalian | Dalian | 2.5 days |
| Shanghai - Qingdao | Qingdao (via Rizhao, and connects to Yantai, Dalian, Weifang, Weihai, and Weifang) | 2.5 days |
| Yangtze River Routes | Destination Ports | Transit Time |
| Taicang - Wuhan | Wuhan | 7-8 days |
| Taicang - Chongqing | Chongqing (via Jiujiang, Yichang, Luzhou, Chongqing, Yibin) | 20 days |
The current domestic container shipping network has achieved full coverage across China’s coastal areas and major river basins. All established routes operate on stable, scheduled liner services. Key domestic shipping companies engaged in coastal and river container transport include: Zhonggu Shipping, COSCO, Sinfeng Shipping, and Antong Holdings.
Taicang Port has launched direct shipping services to terminals in Fuyang, Fengyang, Huaibin, Jiujiang, and Nanchang, while also increasing the frequency of premium routes to Suqian. These developments strengthen connectivity with key cargo hinterlands in Anhui, Henan, and Jiangxi provinces. Substantial progress has been made in expanding market presence along the midstream section of the Yangtze River.
Common Container Types in Domestic Containerized Shipping
Container Specifications:
• 20GP (General Purpose 20-foot container)
• Internal Dimensions: 5.95 × 2.34 × 2.38 m
• Max Gross Weight: 27 tons
• Usable Volume: 24–26 CBM
• Nickname: "Small Container"
• 40GP (General Purpose 40-foot container)
• Internal Dimensions: 11.95 × 2.34 × 2.38 m
• Max Gross Weight: 26 tons
• Usable Volume: approx. 54 CBM
• Nickname: "Standard Container"
• 40HQ (High Cube 40-foot container)
• Internal Dimensions: 11.95 × 2.34 × 2.68 m
• Max Gross Weight: 26 tons
• Usable Volume: approx. 68 CBM
• Nickname: "High Cube Container"
Application Recommendations:
• 20GP is suitable for heavy cargo such as tiles, timber, plastic pellets, and drum-packed chemicals.
• 40GP / 40HQ are more appropriate for lightweight or voluminous cargo, or goods with specific dimensional requirements, such as synthetic fibers, packaging materials, furniture, or machinery parts.
Logistics Optimization: From Shanghai to Guangdong
Our client originally used road transport to deliver goods from Shanghai to Guangdong. Each 13-meter truck carried 33 tons of cargo at a cost of RMB 9,000 per trip, with a transit time of 2 days.
After switching to our optimized sea transport solution, the cargo is now shipped using 40HQ containers, each carrying 26 tons. The new logistics cost is RMB 5,800 per container, and the transit time is 6 days.
From a cost perspective, sea transport significantly reduces logistics expenses—from RMB 272 per ton down to RMB 223 per ton—resulting in savings of nearly RMB 49 per ton.
In terms of time, sea transport takes 4 days longer than road transport. This requires the client to make corresponding adjustments in inventory planning and production scheduling to avoid any disruption to operations.
Conclusion:
If the client does not require urgent delivery and can plan production and stock in advance, the sea transport model presents a more cost-effective, stable, and environmentally friendly logistics solution.