By November 24, 2025, the Shanghai South Port terminal’s annual vehicle throughput had exceeded 1.01 million units, a figure that has already surpassed the terminal’s total vehicle throughput for the entire previous year.
On the 24th, vehicles from multiple brands were driven onto the Panamanian-flagged ro-ro ship “CLAIRE R”. During its port call, this vessel will load over 1,980 large, medium, and small vehicles for export to the port of Iquique, Chile. According to vessel schedule information provided by the Yangshan Border Inspection Station, at 14:00 and 15:00 the same day, two other large foreign trade ro-ro ships will berth at the port, and are scheduled to load over 2,200 vehicles for export during their stay.
On the 24th, vehicles from multiple brands were driven onto a ro-ro ship. (Photo by Li Na)
It is reported that at the Shanghai South Port terminal, this scenario of multiple vessels berthing simultaneously and handling large operational volumes is gradually becoming the norm. The terminal yard is often filled with various types of vehicles awaiting export or transshipment, including engineering vehicles, buses, and new energy vehicles.
The highly efficient vehicle collection, distribution, and turnover capability of the Shanghai Port is attracting major automobile companies to locate their vehicle ro-ro operations here. Data from the operator of the Shanghai South Port terminal shows that since the beginning of this year, the terminal’s volume of foreign trade import and export vehicles has reached 614,000 units, a year-on-year increase of over 40%. Exports alone saw an increase of 37%, while over 100,000 imported vehicles were transshipped at the terminal, an 11% year-on-year increase.
Currently, the second phase of the South Port terminal has begun trial berthing of foreign trade ro-ro ships. Once fully operational, the volume of ship and personnel clearances at the Shanghai South Port terminal is expected to rise further. In response to the terminal’s characteristics of frequent night arrivals, short berthing times, and fast berth turnover, the Yangshan Border Inspection Station, building on its 24/7 duty system and on-demand ship inspections, has further moved its border inspection service windows forward to facilitate the processing of various procedures. Simultaneously, it has updated its software and hardware facilities to enhance the perception capability of vessel /departure dynamics and ro-ro operation progress, ensuring “zero waiting” for vessels during berthing operations and “zero delay” upon departure. (End)
