Jiangsu will further reduce the logistics costs related to ports and road cargo transport, according to the provincial government's 42 measures to shore up economic recovery.

The province has been actively promoting the development of water transport to build a modern logistics system. In 2022, Jiangsu ports handled 18.73 million TEUs and 2.48 billion tonnes of cargo, largest in the country.

Tang Wen, general manager of the production business department of the Jiangsu Port Group, said the group's subsidiaries in Nanjing, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, Changzhou, and Suzhou have taken steps in order to help logistics enterprises reduce costs and increase efficiency.

Lianyungang Port (CFP Photo)

Data showed the total container throughput at the group's ports from January 21 to 27 increased 9.5% year-on-year and it involved 350 vessels during the 7-day Spring Festival holiday.

In 2022, the amount of fees reduced and waived in Jiangsu's cargo transportation sector totaled 6 billion yuan. The province coordinated financial institutions to issue loans of 4.583 billion yuan and also allocated special funds of 620 million yuan to subsidize cargo transportation providers.

The number of freight train trips departing from Jiangsu's cities including Nanjing, Xuzhou, Suzhou and Lianyungang reached 50 during the 7-day Spring Festival holiday. It's estimated that there will be nearly 200 such freight train trips in January.

In 2023, Jiangsu's waterway and railway freight volume is expected to hit 1.25 billion tonnes. In addition, the number of containers used in multimodal transport and river transport will reach 2.2 million and 1.3 million respectively. Jiangsu also plans to operate at least 23 cargo routes that support sea-rail combined transport.