SAIC to deploy 12 new ships in next 3 years to support exports

SAIC Motor Corp., China’s largest exporter, is on track to add 12 new ocean liners over the next three years to its oceangoing ship fleet to expand vehicle exports. 

The first ocean liner it ordered from Jiang’nan Shipyard Co., a Shanghai-based ship builder, was launched this week, SAIC said.

The vessel can carry 7,600 vehicles and will start operation next year to ship vehicles from China to Europe, Australia and New Zealand. 

By 2026, it will receive 11 additional new vessels, some of which can carry up to 9,000 vehicles, the company noted.

The fleet, to be operated by its shipping subsidiary SAIC Anji Logistics Co., can also help other automakers producing in China to export vehicles, it added.

SAIC produces cars and trucks for its own brands. It also runs passenger vehicle joint ventures General Motors and Volkswagen Group. 

Currently, besides its own ship fleet, the state-owned automaker has to hire external shipping companies such as Shanghai-headquartered China COSCO Shipping Corp. and Norwegian shipping giant Wallenius Wilhelmsen group to export vehicles. 

Vehicle exports at SAIC have surged in recent years. 

In the first seven months of this year, its exports rallied 32 percent from a year earlier to some 630,000 vehicles. 

In 2022, SAIC’s vehicle exports spiked 46 percent to exceed 1 million.