The Definitive Guide to Import and Export Freight Services into/from Changchun City：Enabling Global Business Growth
2. City Introduction
2.1 Geographical Location
Changchun, located in Jilin Province, Northeast China, is strategically positioned in the central part of Jilin. It serves as a significant transportation and economic hub in the region. The city is at the crossroads of major railways and highways, connecting Northeast China with other parts of the country. This prime location not only facilitates domestic trade but also plays a crucial role in international trade, as it enables the seamless flow of goods to and from various destinations around the world.
2.2 Economic Characteristics
Changchun has a diverse economic structure. It is renowned for its automotive industry, being home to many major automotive manufacturing enterprises. These companies produce a wide range of vehicles, from passenger cars to commercial vehicles, and their products are exported globally. Additionally, the city has a strong foundation in the agricultural product processing, pharmaceutical, and high – tech industries. The agricultural product processing industry turns the abundant local agricultural resources into value – added products, such as processed grains, dairy products, and meat products. The pharmaceutical industry manufactures a variety of drugs and medical supplies, while the high – tech industry focuses on areas like information technology, new materials, and biotechnology. These industries generate a substantial demand for import and export freight services, whether it’s importing high – quality raw materials, advanced production equipment, or exporting finished products.
2.3 Administrative Regions and Freight – Related Areas
Changchun administers several regions, each contributing uniquely to the freight business:
- Nanguan District: As the central business district of Changchun, it is a bustling commercial center filled with numerous trading companies, high – end shopping malls, and business service providers. It is a major source of consumer goods for both the local market and export, especially high – end consumer electronics, fashion products, and luxury goods. The district also houses many financial institutions that support trade – related financial services, further promoting the freight business.
- Kuancheng District: It has a long – standing industrial base, mainly in the manufacturing of machinery and auto parts. Many factories in this district produce components for the automotive industry, which are exported to support the global automotive supply chain. The district also has a significant logistics presence, with numerous logistics parks and distribution centers that handle the transportation of goods in and out of the city.
- Chaoyang District: Focuses on the development of the service industry, including high – tech services, e – commerce, and modern logistics. It is home to many high – tech startups and e – commerce platforms, which contribute to the export of high – value – added products such as software, digital content, and e – commerce goods. The district’s modern logistics facilities play a key role in coordinating the transportation of these goods.
- Erdao District: This district has a vibrant light – industrial manufacturing sector, producing a variety of products such as textiles, daily – use chemicals, and handicrafts. These products are not only sold in the domestic market but also exported to international markets. The district also has a large number of small and medium – sized enterprises that rely on efficient freight services to transport their goods.
- Lüyuan District: With a strong focus on the automotive and pharmaceutical industries, it is a major production base for vehicles and pharmaceutical products. The automotive factories in this district produce a large number of vehicles for export, while the pharmaceutical companies manufacture drugs and medical supplies that are shipped both domestically and internationally. The district has well – developed transportation infrastructure to support the transportation of these products.
- Shuangyang District: Rich in agricultural resources, it is a major exporter of agricultural products. The district produces high – quality grains, vegetables, fruits, and livestock products. It also has some agricultural product processing industries that further increase the value – added of the exported goods. For example, there are factories that process grains into flour, and fruits into canned products.
- Jiutai District: It has a growing industrial base, mainly in the fields of building materials, food processing, and machinery manufacturing. The building materials produced here, such as cement, bricks, and tiles, are not only supplied to the local construction market but also exported to neighboring regions. The food processing industry produces a variety of food products, including processed grains, dairy products, and meat products.
- Nong’an County: As an important agricultural county, it is a significant source of agricultural products. The county produces a large amount of grains, oilseeds, and livestock products. It also has some processing industries for agricultural products, such as starch production, food canning, and meat processing. These processed products are exported to various regions, both domestically and internationally.
- Yushu City: Known for its agricultural production and food processing, it exports a large amount of high – quality grains, such as rice, corn, and wheat. The city also has a well – developed food processing industry, producing products like rice noodles, corn starch, and wheat flour. These products are in high demand both in the domestic and international markets.
- Dehui City: Focuses on the agricultural product processing and light – industrial manufacturing industries. It is a major exporter of processed agricultural products, such as processed grains, fruits, and livestock products. The city also has some light – industrial factories that produce products like clothing, daily – use chemicals, and handicrafts.
- Gongzhuling City: With a strong agricultural and automotive – related industry, it exports agricultural products and auto parts. The agricultural products include high – quality grains, vegetables, and fruits. The automotive – related industry produces components for the automotive industry, which are exported to support the global automotive supply chain.
3. Port and Airport Information
3.1 Port / Sea Freight
3.1.1 Port Selection
Although Changchun is an inland city, it is well – connected to nearby seaports. The closest major port is Dalian Port. Changchun has established convenient transportation links to Dalian Port through a combination of road and railway transportation. Road transportation offers flexibility for small – to – medium – scale cargo shipments, allowing for door – to – door service. Railway transportation, on the other hand, is more suitable for large – volume and long – distance transportation, ensuring the efficient transfer of goods from Changchun to international destinations via Dalian Port.
3.1.2 Port Information
Dalian Port is a world – class comprehensive port with a long – standing reputation. It has modern deep – water berths that can accommodate various large – scale vessels, including bulk carriers, container ships, and ro – ro ships. The port is equipped with advanced storage facilities, such as large – scale warehouses, modern container yards, and specialized storage areas for different types of goods. The cargo – handling equipment is state – of – the – art, with high – efficiency gantry cranes, automated container – handling systems, and advanced conveyor belts. These facilities ensure the efficient handling of large – volume cargo shipments, whether it’s transporting automotive products, agricultural products, or industrial goods.
3.1.3 International Routes
Dalian Port’s international routes cover many important regions:
- Asia: Regular shipping services connect to major Asian ports such as Busan in South Korea, Tokyo in Japan, and Shanghai in China. Changchun’s exports to Asia mainly include automotive products, agricultural products, and some light – industrial products. For example, Changchun exports cars and auto parts to South Korea and imports some high – tech components from Japan.
- Europe: Regular container ships ply from Dalian Port to European ports such as Rotterdam and Hamburg. High – value – added products from Changchun’s automotive and high – tech industries, such as new – energy vehicles and high – tech components, are exported to Europe.
- North America: The port has established shipping connections with North – American ports such as Vancouver and Los Angeles. Goods such as agricultural products, automotive products, and light – industrial consumer goods from Changchun are transported to North America.
3.2 Air Freight
Changchun Longjia International Airport serves as a major air – freight hub for the region. It offers a range of air – freight services, including express freight, general cargo transportation, and special – cargo handling.
- Fast and Efficient: Air freight can quickly transport high – value, time – sensitive goods from Changchun to major international destinations within a few hours to a day or two. This is especially suitable for products like high – tech components, precision instruments, and some fresh agricultural products with short shelf – lives.
- Cargo Types: Predominantly transports high – tech products (such as components for the automotive and high – tech industries), high – value – added agricultural products (such as premium – grade grains and fresh fruits), and some high – value – added industrial products (such as new – energy vehicle parts).
- Logistics Services: The airport cooperates with local logistics companies in Changchun to provide “door – to – door” services. Goods can be directly transported from factories or warehouses in Changchun to the airport and then swiftly delivered to the destination by air. It also offers value – added services such as cargo tracking, warehousing, and distribution.
3.3 Inland Transportation Modes
Changchun has a diverse set of inland transportation modes:
- Road Transportation: Ideal for short – distance and small – to – medium – batch cargo transportation. The road network in Changchun is well – developed, with national highways, provincial roads, and urban roads connecting different regions. Professional logistics companies offer “door – to – door” services, ensuring the quick transportation of goods from factories or warehouses to the port or airport.
- Railway Transportation: Changchun has a relatively complete railway network, with several major railway lines passing through the city. Railway transportation is suitable for large – batch and long – distance cargo transportation. It is characterized by high efficiency, low cost, and high punctuality. Through railway transportation, goods can be transported to Dalian Port or other domestic destinations, and can be seamlessly connected with sea freight. The railway network can handle various types of cargo, including automotive products, minerals, and agricultural products.
- Inland Waterway Transportation (Limited): There are some small – scale inland waterway transportation routes in Changchun, mainly along the local rivers. These routes are mainly used for the transportation of construction materials such as sand and gravel, and some local agricultural products within the city.
4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
4.1 Cost – related
4.1.1 FCL and LCL (Sea Freight)
Full Container Load (FCL) and Less than Container Load (LCL) are two common transportation modes in sea freight, and they have different cost structures:
- FCL Transportation Cost: The cost of FCL mainly includes basic ocean freight, which is determined by factors such as the distance of transportation, the type of goods, and the size of the container. Port handling charges cover the loading and unloading operations at the origin (Dalian Port in this case) and destination ports. There are also document fees for handling necessary shipping documents, such as bills of lading and packing lists. Additionally, factors like bunker adjustment factor (BAF) and currency adjustment factor (CAF) may affect the overall cost, as they are adjusted according to international oil prices and exchange rate fluctuations.
- LCL Transportation Cost: LCL costs are more complex. In addition to a proportionate share of the basic ocean freight, it includes LCL service fees. These fees cover the costs of consolidating and distributing goods in the container. Since multiple shippers’ goods are combined in one container, there are additional charges for storage, sorting, and repackaging in the warehouse. LCL is usually charged based on the larger of the weight or volume of the goods, that is, “charging by the larger measure”. At the destination port, there may also be additional fees for unpacking and delivering the goods to the consignee.