Ports

Yangtze River Ports Expand Direct Ocean Container Service to Mexico and North Africa

China's interior Yangtze River ports are launching direct container shipping routes to reduce reliance on traditional coastal hubs. Cosco Shipping Specialised Carriers began service from Jiangyin to Mexico's Manzanillo carrying over 500 containers of machinery and finished goods on the general cargo ship CSPC Jade. Nanjing subsequently initiated container operations to North Africa following test voyages across the Northern Sea Route in 2024 and 2025. The push addresses longstanding inefficiencies where inland cargo required barge transport to Shanghai or Ningbo, adding handling fees and transit time. The Jiangyin-Manzanillo service cuts 15 days from traditional transhipment routes, completing the journey in 22 days. Lower Yangtze manufacturing centers—home to appliances, electronics, automotive parts and photovoltaics producers—prioritize logistics efficiency. Direct routing eliminates intermediate ports. Some cargo will be railed or trucked from Manzanillo into U.S. markets. Cosco had previously executed a one-off container shipping voyage from Jiangyin to Belgium's Antwerp port in March.