A transshipment vessel Aokailong 19 carrying 6,400 metric tons of bauxite leaves from Longkou port area of Yantai Port. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A transshipment vessel Aokailong 19 carrying 6,400 metric tons of bauxite left from Longkou port area of Yantai Port, part of Shandong Port (SPG), heading for Shouguang Port of Bohaiwan Port, where the bauxite will be moved to a factory by truck.

Since the start of this year, Yantai Port has worked to develop a transport system using aquatic and sea-rail transport. This has helped the Longkou port area handle over 10 million tons of bauxite, with a 73.5 percent growth compared to last year, hitting a new record.

Facing a difficult market, Yantai Port has put more effort into the bauxite business and improved teamwork internally and externally. The bauxite team visited Binzhou and Liaocheng in Shandong and Shanxi and Hebei provinces to study the market and understand trends.

Based on customer needs, the team has used a platform to combine resources from other SPG parts and worked with other departments. This has created a transport network using sea-to-sea and sea-rail transport, making the bauxite move smoothly from mines to factories.

The team has expanded the market while focusing on corridor construction. Now, nearly 10 bauxite transport routes are being operated efficiently, connecting resources and factories, and improving the logistics and supply chain services for Sino-African bauxite.