China-Singapore Base sends off its first big consignment carrying aluminium coils

On February 22, the first big export consignment, consisting of aluminium coils from Southwest Aluminium (Group) Co., Ltd., reportedly embarked on a journey from the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Multimodal Transport Demonstration Base to the  Port of Manzanillo in Mexico.

The consignment comprised 31 standard containers containing 620 tonnes of aluminium coils worth RMB 13 million ($1.8 billion).

The China-Singapore (Chongqing) Multimodal Transport Demonstration Base, operational since 2022, is a significant outcome of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI). It focuses on improving warehousing and freight forwarding, with the goal of establishing a global multimodal transportation network.

The Port of Manzanillo is one of Mexico's busiest ports. It handles cargo for the Pacific Ocean and Mexico City area.

Chen Junfeng, a manager from the base, detailed the base's operational status. "Following a production restart on February 18, we've reached full warehouse capacity, over 60% container yard utilization, and a complete return to work," said Chen. The company has prioritized safety and efficiency, conducting thorough checks and customer visits to ensure efficient operations.

The base has shown excellent efficiency to date, handling about 2,600 TEUs and circulating goods worth RMB 515.5 million, a fivefold hike in value compared to the previous year. In addition, the base has processed over 2,500 tonnes of bulk commodities and more than 700 tonnes of frozen products.

Sharing ambitious plans for 2024, Chen Junfeng said: "We aim to leverage our strategic location and Chongqing's positioning to enhance green logistics initiatives, such as road-to-rail and bulk-to-container services."