Pinglu Canal Navigation Opens a New River-Sea Combined Transport Route for China-Australia Trade

From October 26 to 30, 2026, the themed event "2026 Western Land-Sea New Corridor Guangxi Tour" was held in Guangxi. Under the theme of "Land and Sea Thoroughfares Link the World; River-Sea Integration Opens a New Chapter," a press corps consisting of journalists from mainstream media outlets in China, Vietnam and other countries and regions conducted field research at sites including the Madao Hub of the Pinglu Canal, Qinzhou Automated Container Terminal, Qinzhou Railway Container Center Station and Berth 401 in the Yuwan Port Area of Fangchenggang. The research focused on the new landscape of river-sea combined transport following the opening of the Pinglu Canal and the outcomes of corridor development.

The Pinglu Canal was officially opened to navigation on September 16, 2026. As a key project of the Western Land-Sea New Corridor, it is the first river-to-sea waterway project constructed since the founding of the People's Republic of China. It has opened a direct water transport link between the Xijiang River and Beibu Gulf Port, shortening the inland shipping distance for goods from southwest China to the sea by approximately 560 kilometers, with an estimated 18% to 30% reduction in overall logistics costs. The Western Land-Sea New Corridor has thus entered a new phase featuring parallel river, rail and sea transport, shifting from its previous focus on rail-sea combined transport. It also opens up a new river-sea combined transport route for cargo flows between Australia and southwest China.

Cargo vessels passing through the lock at the Madao Hub of the Pinglu Canal

Australia is an important trading partner of Beibu Gulf Port, with bulk cargo dominating bilateral trade. From January to September 2026, the cargo throughput between Beibu Gulf Port and Australia reached 23.82 million tons, including 23.55 million tons of imports, mainly iron ore, coal, bauxite and manganese ore, and 270,000 tons of exports, primarily chemical fertilizers, steel rails and propane. Container business has registered robust growth: 7,000 TEUs were handled between Beibu Gulf Port and Australia from January to September 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of 19%. Major containerized commodities include feed-grade dicalcium phosphate, paper products, metal ores and electronic components.

On February 11, 2026, the ultra-large bulk carrier MARLENE OLDENDORFF, carrying 198,600 tons of iron ore, safely berthed at the Fangchenggang terminal

Previously, bulk commodities imported from Australia mostly used the rail-water combined transport model: after arriving at Beibu Gulf Port, the goods were transshipped by rail to factories in the hinterland of southwest China. The opening of the Pinglu Canal enables Australian cargo, after being unloaded and transshipped at Beibu Gulf Port, to reach inland Guangxi and even southwest China via river-sea combined transport. It offers enterprises an alternative to rail-water combined transport and can effectively cut overall logistics costs. This route has already been put into operation: on September 25, 2026, a consignment of coal shipped from Australia to Beibu Gulf Port was unloaded at Qinzhou Port and transferred to inland vessels, which sailed directly to the Liujing Operation Zone in Nanning via the Pinglu Canal to supply local paper mills with fuel for production. This marked one of the first batches of Australian imported goods delivered through river-sea combined transport after the canal opened to navigation.

Coal imported from Australia is transshipped at Qinzhou Port and transported directly to the Liujing Operation Zone in Nanning via the Pinglu Canal

For Australian exporters of mineral products and other bulk commodities, this means more diversified access to the southwest Chinese market and more competitive costs. For enterprises in Guangxi and southwest China, it brings greater flexibility in logistics arrangements for importing Australian bulk commodities. As the capacity of the Western Land-Sea New Corridor continues to be unleashed, China-Australia trade is expected to see new growth potential in both bulk cargo and container segments. (By Cai Juncong and Zhou Jie)