The Definitive Guide to Import and Export Freight Services into/from Dalian City：Enabling Global Business Growth
2. City Introduction
2.1 Geographical Location
Dalian, located in Liaoning Province, Northeast China, is a coastal city with a prime geographical location. It is strategically positioned at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, bordering the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea. This location places it at the crossroads of major shipping routes in Northeast Asia, making it a vital link for international trade and a key node in the domestic transportation network.
2.2 Economic Characteristics
Dalian is a city with a diversified economy. It has a strong foundation in the petrochemical, shipbuilding, and machinery manufacturing industries. In recent years, the city has also seen rapid development in emerging sectors such as software and information technology services, marine economy, and modern logistics. These industries generate a significant demand for import and export freight services, with a wide variety of goods flowing in and out of the city.
2.3 Administrative Regions and Freight – Related Areas
Dalian administers several regions, each playing a unique role in the freight business:
- Zhongshan District: As the city’s central business district, it is a major source of high – end consumer goods and commercial products for export. It also houses many trading companies and logistics service providers, facilitating trade – related activities.
- Xigang District: With a focus on tourism and modern services, it contributes to the transportation of tourism – related goods and services. It also has some light – industrial manufacturing, which adds to the freight volume.
- Shahekou District: Home to many universities and research institutions, it promotes the export of high – tech products and knowledge – based services. It also has a developed service industry that supports the overall freight ecosystem.
- Ganjingzi District: A major industrial area, it is responsible for the production and export of industrial products such as machinery, chemicals, and building materials. It has large – scale industrial parks and factories, driving the demand for freight services.
- Lüshunkou District: Known for its marine – related industries, including fishing, aquaculture, and ship – repair, it ships a large amount of marine products and related equipment. Its port facilities also play an important role in coastal transportation.
- Jinzhou District: With a growing economy in manufacturing and logistics, it exports a variety of industrial goods and is an important logistics distribution center. It has well – developed transportation infrastructure, connecting to other parts of the city and beyond.
- Pulandian District: Contributes to the agricultural and light – industrial sectors. It is a major exporter of agricultural products, textiles, and daily – use consumer goods. The district’s industrial parks also produce some machinery and electronic products for export.
- Changhai County: As an island – based county, it mainly exports marine products, especially seafood. The transportation of these perishable goods requires efficient and timely freight services, both by sea and air.
- Wafangdian City: A traditional industrial base, it specializes in the production and export of machinery, bearings, and other industrial products. It has a large number of manufacturing enterprises, making it an important part of Dalian’s industrial export.
- Zhuanghe City: Focuses on the agricultural and aquaculture industries. It exports a significant amount of agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, and rice, as well as aquaculture products like shellfish and seaweed.
3. Port and Airport Information
3.1 Port / Sea Freight
3.1.1 Port Information
Dalian Port is a world – class comprehensive port. It has a long – established history and a vast area. The port is equipped with state – of – the – art deep – water berths, capable of accommodating large – scale vessels, including super – large oil tankers and container ships. It also has advanced storage facilities, such as large – scale warehouses and modern container yards. The cargo – handling equipment is top – notch, with high – efficiency gantry cranes, automated container – handling systems, and advanced conveyor belts. Its well – organized logistics system ensures the smooth and efficient handling of large – volume cargo shipments.
3.1.2 International Routes
Dalian Port’s international routes cover a wide range of important regions around the world:
- Asia: Regular shipping services connect to major Asian ports like Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai, and Singapore. It facilitates the trade of various goods, including petrochemical products, ship – building components, electronic products, and consumer goods.
- Africa: Linked to key African ports such as Port of Dar es Salaam, Port of Mombasa, and Port of Tema. It enables the export of construction machinery, industrial equipment, and consumer goods from Dalian to Africa.
- Middle East: Strong shipping connections with Middle – East ports like Jebel Ali, Dubai, and Khalifa Port. These connections are crucial for the transportation of energy – related products (both imports and exports), as well as industrial machinery and consumer goods.
- Europe: Regular container and bulk – cargo ships ply from Dalian Port to European ports such as Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Antwerp. It supports the trade of high – value – added products, including advanced manufacturing equipment, precision instruments, and high – end consumer goods.
- Latin America: Shipping routes to major Latin – American ports like Buenos Aires, Santos, and Callao are important for the export of agricultural products, industrial machinery, and electronic products from Dalian.
- North America: Dalian Port is connected to North – American ports such as Vancouver, Seattle, and Los Angeles. It enables the transportation of a wide range of goods, including auto parts, machinery, and household appliances.
3.1.3 Main Port Terminals and Functions
Dalian Port has multiple professional terminals:
- Container Terminal: Specializes in the loading, unloading, and storage of containerized goods. It is equipped with the latest quay – side cranes, automated container – handling systems, and large – scale container yards. The terminal can handle a large number of import and export containerized cargo efficiently, with an annual handling capacity of [X] million TEUs (Twenty – foot Equivalent Units).
- Bulk Cargo Terminal: Focuses on handling bulk commodities such as coal, iron ore, and grain. It has large – scale conveyor belts, grab – type unloading equipment, and specialized storage silos. The terminal can quickly load, unload, and store bulk goods to meet the needs of large – scale industrial production and international trade.
- Liquid Chemical Terminal: Deals with the loading and unloading of crude oil, refined oil products, and chemical liquids. It is equipped with dedicated pipelines, storage tanks, and advanced safety – monitoring systems to ensure the safe transportation and storage of liquid – state goods, in strict compliance with international safety and environmental standards.
- Ro – Ro Terminal: Mainly used for loading and unloading large – scale equipment such as automobiles, construction machinery, and heavy – duty trucks. It is equipped with specialized ro – ro ramps, vehicle – handling equipment, and storage areas, capable of efficiently handling the import and export of large – scale equipment to meet the needs of the global construction and automotive industries.
3.2 Air Freight
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport is an important regional air cargo hub. It offers a variety of air – freight services, including express freight, general cargo transportation, and special – cargo handling. The airport is equipped with modern cargo – handling facilities, such as large – capacity cargo warehouses, advanced loading and unloading equipment, and efficient customs – clearance procedures.
- Fast and Efficient: Air freight can rapidly transport goods around the world, with flight times to major international destinations ranging from a few hours to a day or two. This makes it especially suitable for high – value, time – sensitive goods, such as high – tech products, precision instruments, and fresh agricultural products with short shelf – lives.
- Cargo Types: Predominantly transports high – tech products, semiconductors, and advanced medical equipment, as well as high – value – added energy – related products like specialized oil – and – gas exploration equipment, and emergency – needed medical supplies.
- Logistics Services: Provides “door – to – door” services, enabling goods to be directly transported from factories or warehouses in Dalian to the airport and then swiftly delivered to the destination by air. The airport also offers value – added services such as cargo tracking, warehousing, and distribution.
3.3 Inland Transportation Modes
Dalian has a diverse range of inland transportation modes:
- Road Transportation: Ideal for short – distance and small – to – medium – batch cargo transportation. It offers “door – to – door” services for the quick transportation of goods from factories or warehouses to the port or airport. The road network in Dalian is well – developed, with a large number of highways, expressways, and urban roads connecting different regions. Numerous professional logistics companies provide reliable road – transportation services.
- Railway Transportation: Dalian has a relatively developed railway network, with several major railway lines passing through the city. Railway transportation is suitable for large – batch and long – distance cargo transportation, characterized by high efficiency, low cost, and high punctuality. Through railway transportation, goods can be rapidly transported to the port and seamlessly connected with sea freight. The railway network can handle a variety of cargo, including coal, minerals, and industrial products.
- Inland Waterway Transportation (Limited): Although Dalian is mainly a coastal city, there are some small – scale inland waterway transportation routes in certain areas. These routes are mainly used for the transportation of construction materials such as sand and gravel, and some local agricultural products.
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 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.