TL;DR: On June 1, 2026, Nantong port loaded 7,273 BYD new energy vehicles onto a single vessel — a Chinese record — and the ship itself was built in Nantong. It’s the world’s first LNG + battery dual-green-powered 9,200-car carrier. The same ports that handle these record-breaking auto shipments also handle containerized freight. Auto export infrastructure benefits all importers.
Nantong isn’t Shanghai or Ningbo. It’s a mid-size port on the Yangtze. But on June 1, it did something no Chinese port had done before: loaded 7,273 new energy vehicles onto a single ship.
Not containers. Cars. Seven thousand of them.
The vessel — the “Jinan” — was itself built in Nantong’s shipyard. It’s the world’s first LNG + BYD battery dual-green-powered car carrier, with a capacity of 9,200 vehicles. The ship and the cargo both represent the same shift: Chinese manufacturing isn’t just making more things. It’s making the infrastructure to move them.
Why a Car Export Record Matters to Importers
The “Jinan” is purpose-built. Specialized ramps. Climate-controlled decks. Battery-safe compartments. A port that can handle a 9,200-car loading operation in one go has invested heavily in quayside infrastructure, logistics coordination, and customs processing speed.
Every dollar spent on auto export infrastructure — deeper berths, wider quays, faster customs — also benefits general freight. A port that handles auto carriers efficiently also handles container ships more efficiently. The infrastructure is shared. The capacity is shared.
The Multiplier Effect
Nantong’s record isn’t happening in isolation. Shanghai just expanded its sea-rail intermodal “one-box” system for NEVs to Nanjing — cutting logistics costs by 20% per container. Tianjin shipped 200,000 tons of auto parts via dedicated 38-hour express rail in 12 months with zero delays. The auto supply chain is building logistics infrastructure at a pace no other industry can match.
For importers of any product — not just cars — the same rail lines, port expansions, and customs improvements are available. When a new express rail line opens for auto parts, it runs the same tracks that can carry your machinery components.
Records make headlines. Infrastructure makes shipments arrive on time. Pay attention to the second one.
Written by Xinya Zhang. Based in Shandong, I track logistics capacity so my clients ship smarter. Tell me where you’re importing →
Sources:
- Sohu / Nantong Port Authority — June 2026 record shipment
- China State Railway Group — Tianjin-Chengdu auto parts express
- Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration — NEV sea-rail intermodal expansion