Two giant portal cranes set sail from Xiangshan Port to Indonesia. (Photo by Zhu Lei and Shen Tianzhou)

On April 3, two colossal portal cranes completed roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) operations at Xiangshan’s Dazhongzhuang Wharf, embarking on their voyage to Indonesia. This milestone marks Xiangshan Port’s inaugural direct export of large-scale equipment since its opening, enabling local high-end manufacturers to ship massive industrial goods directly from their “doorstep” to the global market.

Manufactured by Ningbo Lihua Port Machinery Heavy Industry Co., Ltd., the two 4,040-type portal cranes are engineered for handling containers and heavy cargo at major international ports. Standing an imposing 64.3 meters tall and weighing 605 tons each, these indivisible giants presented formidable logistical and transportation challenges.

To ensure a seamless departure, Xiangshan Port Development Co., Ltd. orchestrated a specialized logistics plan a month in advance. “Through rigorous calculations and simulation exercises, we precisely managed every step of the process—from ship berthing and multi-axle vehicle transfers to the final Ro-Ro loading—guaranteeing the equipment's safe departure,” stated Ye Feng, the company’s Chairman.

Equally critical was the efficiency of customs clearance. Anticipating the needs of the newly opened port, Xiangshan Customs integrated their services early in the wharf’s construction phase. By optimizing functional zoning, checkpoint layouts, and surveillance systems, newly commissioned berths like Dazhongzhuang Wharf were purpose-built to handle heavy equipment exports from day one.

“We implemented a ‘one enterprise, one policy’ tailored assistance mechanism for this specialized shipment,” explained Xue Xinchun, Deputy Commissioner of Xiangshan Customs. “By assigning dedicated personnel and embedding our regulatory services directly into the port's operations, we achieved a ‘seconds-level’ clearance model that rapidly accelerates the export process for our enterprises.”

For Lihua Heavy Industry, this new direct-export capability is transformative. He Mingji, the company’s Deputy General Manager, noted that previously, exporting such cranes required transshipment through other domestic ports, incurring secondary handling and heightened safety risks. Now, direct shipping from Xiangshan cuts delivery cycles by half a month and slashes logistics costs by over 3 million yuan per voyage, significantly sharpening the company's competitive edge internationally.

“This year, we plan to ship approximately 10 batches with an estimated annual output value of 600 million yuan, and we aim to double that target next year,” He Mingji added with confidence. The company’s next batch of export equipment has already entered the assembly stage, slated for shipment in early April.