The Pinglu Canal officially commenced operations, marking the departure of the bulk carrier “Guanfeng 1800” loaded with Australian bauxite from Qinzhou Port toward Nanning and Baise terminals. Jingxi Tiangui Aluminum Co., Ltd. joined the inaugural wave of shippers utilizing the new waterway for both bauxite and coal deliveries.
According to company vice president Zhou Xinquan, routing approximately 8 million metric tons of annual feedstock through the canal is projected to cut transportation expenditures by roughly 40 million yuan. This shift replaces the conventional sea-rail intermodal system, directly lowering inbound freight charges for domestic processing facilities.
Industry observers note that the waterway’s activation formally integrates the Beibu Gulf Port network with the Xijiang River basin. As deputy general manager Yuan Qiuhong of Beibu Gulf Port Qinzhou Terminal Co., Ltd. explained, the corridor now channels commodities across Guangxi into neighboring Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, while also extending maritime connectivity to international hubs such as Vietnam’s Can Tho port.