The Definitive Guide to Import and Export Freight Services into/from Jiayuguan City: Enabling Global Business Growth
2. City Introduction
2.1 Geographical Location
Jiayuguan is located in the northwest of China, in the central part of Gansu Province. It lies at the western end of the Hexi Corridor, a crucial economic and transportation corridor connecting central China with Xinjiang and Central Asia. Jiayuguan is strategically positioned as a key transportation hub, with excellent railway and highway networks. This strategic location serves as a crucial factor for the city’s role in regional and international trade, facilitating the flow of goods both domestically and across international borders.
2.2 Economic Characteristics
As an industrial-based city, the economy of Jiayuguan mainly relies on heavy industry, including steel production, mining, and manufacturing. The city is home to several large industrial enterprises, such as Gansu Jiuquan Steel Group (Jiugang), which is one of the largest steel producers in the region. These industries drive the demand for import and export freight services, with different goods and materials being transported in and out of the city.
2.3 Administrative Regions and Freight-Related Areas
Jiayuguan administers several key regions, each contributing to the freight business in different ways:
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Jiayuguan City: The central urban area, with its developed industrial parks and commercial centers, is a major source of steel products, machinery, and other industrial goods for shipment.
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Jiayuguan Economic Development Zone: With emerging high-tech and modern logistics industries, this zone contributes significantly to the export of high-value-added products such as advanced equipment and software services.
3. Port and Airport Information
3.1 Port / Sea Freight
3.1.1 Port Selection
For Jiayuguan, among the international maritime hub ports such as Shanghai Port and Lianyungang Port, the closest hub port is Lianyungang Port. Its proximity to Jiayuguan, accessible via railway and highway, makes it convenient for the concentration and transportation of goods from Jiayuguan to international destinations.
3.1.2 Port Information
Lianyungang Port is an important comprehensive port on the eastern coast of China. With a long-established history and well-developed infrastructure, the port covers a vast area and is equipped with modern berths, storage facilities, and advanced cargo-handling equipment. It operates a highly efficient logistics system that can handle large-volume cargo shipments with speed and accuracy.
3.1.3 International Routes
Lianyungang Port’s international routes cover many important regions around the world:
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Asia: Regular shipping services connect to major ports in Asia, including Busan, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, facilitating the trade of various goods such as consumer electronics, textiles, and industrial machinery.
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Africa: The port is linked to key African ports like Durban and Mombasa, enabling the export of construction materials, vehicles, and consumer goods.
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Middle East: Strong shipping connections have been established with Middle-East ports like Dubai and Jeddah, crucial for the transportation of energy-related products, industrial equipment, and consumer goods.
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Europe: Regular container and bulk-cargo ships ply from Lianyungang Port to European ports such as Rotterdam and Hamburg, supporting the trade of high-value-added products, including high-tech equipment, automobiles, and luxury goods.
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Latin America: Shipping routes to major Latin-American ports like Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires are important for the export of agricultural products, industrial machinery, and consumer electronics.
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North America: Lianyungang Port is connected to North-American ports such as Los Angeles and Vancouver, enabling the transportation of a wide range of goods, including clothing, toys, and household appliances.
3.1.4 Main Port Terminals and Functions
Lianyungang Port has multiple professional terminals:
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Container Terminal: Specializes in the loading, unloading, and storage of containerized goods, equipped with state-of-the-art quay-side cranes, automated container-handling systems, and large-scale container yards, capable of efficiently handling a large number of import and export containerized cargo, with an annual handling capacity of millions of TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units).
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Bulk Cargo Terminal: Focuses on handling bulk commodities such as coal, iron ore, and grain, equipped with large-scale conveyor belts, grab-type unloading equipment, and specialized storage silos, able to quickly load, unload, and store bulk goods to meet the needs of large-scale industrial production and international trade.
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Liquid Chemical Terminal: Deals with the loading and unloading of crude oil, refined oil products, and chemical liquids, 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.
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Ro-Ro Terminal: Mainly used for loading and unloading large-scale equipment such as automobiles, construction machinery, and heavy-duty trucks, 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
Jiayuguan’s air freight transportation services mainly rely on Jiayuguan Airport, a key regional air cargo hub. The airport is equipped with modern cargo-handling facilities, including large-capacity cargo warehouses, advanced loading and unloading equipment, and efficient customs-clearance procedures. It offers a variety of air-freight services, such as express freight, general cargo transportation, and special-cargo handling.
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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, making it especially suitable for high-value, time-sensitive goods, such as high-tech products, precision instruments, and fresh agricultural products with short shelf-lives.
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Cargo Types: Predominantly transports high-tech products, semiconductors, and advanced medical equipment, as well as high-value-added products such as energy-related products.
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Logistics Services: Provides “door-to-door” services, enabling goods to be directly transported from factories or warehouses in Jiayuguan 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
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Road Transportation: Ideal for short-distance and small-to-medium-batch cargo transportation, offering “door-to-door” services for the quick transportation of goods from factories or warehouses to the port or airport. The road network in Jiayuguan is well-developed, with a large number of highways and provincial roads connecting different regions.
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Railway Transportation: Jiayuguan 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 Lianyungang Port and seamlessly connected with sea freight.
4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
4.1 Cost-related
4.1.1 FCL and LCL (Sea Freight)
Sea freight costs are determined by multiple factors such as transportation distance, cargo weight and volume, bunker adjustment factor, and market fluctuations. Longer distances generally result in higher costs; for example, shipping from Jiayuguan (via Lianyungang Port) to a European port will be more expensive than shipping to an Asian port. Heavier and bulkier cargo also incur higher freight charges, and the bunker adjustment factor, reflecting fuel costs, along with market fluctuations, impact the final price.
4.2 Service-related
4.2.1 Import to Jiayuguan
Importing goods to Jiayuguan typically involves transportation via railway or road from major ports. Customs clearance is handled at the port or border crossings.
4.2.2 FBA Amazon
Jiayuguan offers FBA services for Amazon sellers, with logistics providers specializing in air and sea freight. Services include pick-up, customs clearance, and delivery to Amazon warehouses.
4.2.3 Project Cargo Transportation
Specialized logistics companies handle large-scale equipment and project cargo, ensuring safe and efficient transportation.
4.2.4 Cold Chain Export
Cold chain logistics are available for perishable goods, ensuring temperature-controlled transportation from Jiayuguan to major ports or airports.
4.2.5 Warehousing / Storage
Jiayuguan has multiple warehousing facilities, including those in industrial zones and logistics parks.
4.2.6 Pre-shipment Inspection / Quality Control
Pre-shipment inspection services are available