China: Robust auto export drives demand for car carriers in China.

Storyline Robust auto export drives demand for car carriers in China China's car exports continue surging in the first five months of the year, new data shows, which is prompting demand for ocean-going transportation to move those cars. At the Guangzhou Nansha Automobile Terminal, cars are loaded onto a ship. So far this year, the terminal exported about 192,000 cars, about 20 percent more than last year. 94,000 of which were new energy vehicles. Zhou Shengping, minister, International Business Department, CSSC Guangzhou Shipyard: "The vehicle capacity of car carriers started at 2,000 then reached 11,000 vehicles. We currently have 13 carriers with a capacity of 10,800 vehicles on order. To improve transportation efficiency, larger ship loading capacity is a trend." At a shipyard a short drive from the Nansha Automobile Terminal, workers are building a large automobile transport ship. A single ship can carry over 10,000 vehicles. The vessels run on liquified natural gas, representing a push towards green transport. Zhou Houpei, deputy director, Statistics and Analysis Division, Guangzhou Customs: "These ships run on liquefied natural gas and oil. This represents Guangzhou's shipbuilding industry moving towards green and high-end development." According to statistics, in the first five months of this year, the export value of car carriers from Guangzhou exceeded 227 million U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of nearly 20 percent. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]