On December 2, the container ship "Dingqin" successfully departed from Nanjing Longtan Container Terminal, marking the first direct shipping route from Nanjing Port to Santos, Brazil. This vessel is the largest-tonnage ship to dock at Nanjing Port's Longtan Container Terminal, achieving a "dual breakthrough" in both waterway routes and port capabilities.
The opening of this route is a concrete action to implement President Xi Jinping's important speech during his visit to Brazil on November 20, in which he emphasized aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with Brazil's development strategy. It also supports Nanjing's goal of becoming a world-class, open hub with strong bilateral connectivity, a regional shipping and logistics center, and an industrial powerhouse. This move represents a practical step in optimizing shipping routes and enhancing port functions, overcoming long-standing barriers between Nanjing and South America due to the lack of a direct shipping route. It addresses issues such as high export costs and poor delivery times, significantly improving the market competitiveness of products from Nanjing and the Jiangsu and Anhui provinces in South American markets. Furthermore, it strengthens Nanjing's position as a regional shipping logistics hub, boosting its connectivity, competitive edge, and resource aggregation capability. The new route also opens a fresh pathway for Nanjing Port to integrate into the Belt and Road Initiative, providing new momentum for the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. This development is of great significance for Nanjing as it works toward becoming a more open and powerful hub city.
For a long time, the Nanjing Maritime Safety Administration has placed great emphasis on providing service guarantees for the operation of new shipping routes. Leveraging the integrated maritime supervision and service advantages in the Yangtze River Delta, it has implemented a series of practical measures to ensure the safe operation of vessels. These measures include:
- Scientifically reducing risk factors: In light of the new route's opening, a review meeting was organized with experts from the transportation, commerce, pilotage, port, and maritime sectors to assess risks associated with vessel navigation and operations. Targeted safety measures were developed, and enhanced communication with meteorological and hydrological departments was established to provide weather warnings and information services, reducing the impact of adverse weather on shipping. Additionally, the channel authorities were encouraged to monitor water levels and docking depths along key sections of the route, ensuring effective risk forecasting and control.
- Optimizing maritime services: The operating characteristics of the "Nanjing-Santos" container shipping route were studied in advance. Real-time tracking of vessel schedules and coordination with port authorities established a green channel for administrative approvals, ensuring that vessel entry and restricted vessel approvals were processed without delay.
- Integrated traffic management: Coordination with downstream maritime agencies, ports, and cargo owners was strengthened to arrange vessel arrivals and departures in a scientific manner. Priority was given to key waterway points and anchorage slots, ensuring the smooth flow of vessels and optimizing resources like pilotage, tugboats, and docking facilities.
- Comprehensive monitoring and coordination: Advanced technology, including VTS, CCTV, AIS, smart checkpoints, and drones, was utilized for remote and on-site monitoring of vessel movements and safety risks. A dedicated team monitored shipping dynamics and coordinated safety measures, ensuring smooth operations and timely response to safety concerns. Increased on-site supervision was also implemented during vessel arrivals, departures, cargo handling, and anti-pollution operations to eliminate potential risks.
Moving forward, the Nanjing Maritime Safety Administration will continue to focus on transforming Nanjing into a more open and competitive hub city. Efforts will be made to create favorable conditions for opening more shipping routes and accommodating larger vessels, further enhancing the port's development and core competitiveness, and contributing to the construction of Nanjing as a regional shipping and logistics center.
