SAIC Motor Chairman Wang Xiaoqiu (fifth from left) attends the opening ceremony of the Haitong Taicang Auto Terminal. [Photo/SAIC Motor]

SAIC Motor Vice-President Wu Bing delivers a speech at the opening ceremony. [Photo/SAIC Motor]

The Haitong Taicang Auto Terminal, jointly developed by SAIC Motor, Shanghai International Port Group, and Jiangsu Port Group, commenced operations on Dec 12 at Taicang Port in East China's Jiangsu province.

Shipping terminals are crucial hubs for global trade, key nodes in the global supply chain for complete vehicles, and vital gateways for Chinese automobiles to enter international markets.

As the largest ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) auto terminal in the Yangtze River basin, with an annual throughput capacity of 1.3 million vehicles, the Haitong Taicang Auto Terminal will actively provide ocean-going vehicle logistics services for clients in the automotive industry, including SAIC Motor, and strive to open new channels for Chinese auto brands to "cross oceans and go global".

Beyond building cars, ships, and ports, SAIC Motor, as the first systematically and strategically planned Chinese automobile enterprise to "go global", has successfully established a full-value chain for the automotive industry overseas. This includes innovative R&D centers, production bases, marketing centers, supply chain centers, and financial companies, laying a solid foundation for high-quality and sustainable international business development.

SAIC Motor's products and services currently span over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Its independent brand, MG, has successfully entered the ranks of mainstream brands in dozens of countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Thailand, Mexico, and Chile.

From January to November this year, SAIC Motor's overseas sales reached 937,000 vehicles, continuing to lead the industry.

The new MG HS recently received a five-star safety rating from both Euro NCAP and ANCAP and made it onto the UK's monthly list of best-selling models. The new MG3 HEV outperformed competitors to win the 2024 Thailand Car of the Year award. The new MG3 family continues to sell well globally, with the new MG3 HEV boosting monthly sales to over 10,000 units. In the European market, SAIC Motor's MG brand sold over 220,000 units in the first 11 months, overcoming the adverse impact of the EU's anti-subsidy investigation and maintaining year-on-year growth, with annual sales expected to hit a new high.

As one of SAIC Motor's "invisible champions" in the industrial chain, SAIC Anji Logistics has developed into the world's largest automotive logistics company after years of consistent growth. Its operations cover nearly 600 domestic cities and over 100 countries, with an annual transport capacity of 10 million vehicles.

SAIC Anji Logistics has established a "T-shaped" coastal and river port logistics network and a "fan-shaped" railway station layout in Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing, and Taicang. It owns 5,820 meters of ro-ro shoreline resources and is the first logistics enterprise in China to lay out important coastal and river ro-ro ports. It has also been approved as a national demonstration project for multimodal transport by road, rail, and water.

SAIC Anji Logistics' subsidiary, Haitong Terminal, is one of the world's largest ro-ro ship terminals, with its annual throughput expected to reach 3.5 million vehicles in 2024.

The Haitong Taicang Auto Terminal covers 960,000 square meters, with a 708-meter shoreline. It is capable of simultaneously docking two 70,000-ton and one 3,000-ton ro-ro ships and can park 32,000 cars at once. Its five auto service centers provide integrated port logistics services, including storage, inspection, maintenance, and charging.

SAIC Anji Logistics has also established China's largest self-operated fleet of automotive ships, comprising 32 vessels, including 11 river ships, nine domestic trade sea ships, and 12 foreign trade sea ships, with eight international routes to Southeast Asia, Mexico, South America West, Europe, and Australia-New Zealand.

With these achievements and strategic initiatives, SAIC Motor is poised to continue its leadership in the automotive industry, delivering innovative products and services to consumers both in China and around the world.