[Source / Observer Network Qi Qian] Recently, two new car transport ships independently manufactured in China set sail on their maiden voyages simultaneously, fully loaded with Chinese cars heading to Europe, one of which has a capacity of 9,500 vehicles, setting a new record for the largest car carrier ship in the world.

On May 16, the South China Morning Post reported that this demonstrates the ambition of China's auto exports.

According to reports, on the evening of May 15, the ultra-large car roll-on/roll-off ship "Anji Ansheng," independently manufactured by China with a capacity of 9,500 vehicles, embarked on its maiden voyage, carrying 7,000 Chinese-made vehicles from Shanghai to Europe.

Public records show that the "Anji Ansheng" was invested in and built by SAIC Group's Anji Logistics, integrating global cutting-edge technologies comprehensively from design to construction. The vessel is 228 meters long and 37.8 meters wide, making it currently the largest low-carbon intelligent ultra-large car roll-on/roll-off ship with the greatest loading capacity in the world. It broke the cargo capacity record of 9,200 vehicles set by BYD's transport ship at the end of April.

Screenshot of the maiden voyage of the "Anji Ansheng," an ultra-large car roll-on/roll-off ship independently manufactured by China, from CCTV News.

Gao Yunning, deputy dean of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University, believes that China's shipping vessels have set records in less than a month, not only showcasing the vigorous development of mid-to-high-end manufacturing but also reflecting the strong resilience and vitality of China's foreign trade under complex international circumstances. "Super giant ships fully loaded with Chinese-made cars sailing out to sea will also bring imported cars from multinational automakers to China in the future, witnessing the 'mutual pursuit' between China's automobile industry and the world's automobile industry."

It is reported that SAIC Group's Anji Logistics has built the world's leading self-operated car logistics fleet. It is expected that by next year, Anji Logistics' ocean-going fleet size will reach 22 ships, with route resources covering Western Europe, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

On the same day, China's largest photovoltaic energy car carrier ship, "Yuan Haikou," made its maiden voyage in Nansha, Guangzhou. The ship carried approximately 4,000 vehicles from Chinese brands such as BYD, Chery, and Geely, more than 90% of which were new energy vehicles, sailing to countries along the Belt and Road such as Greece, Turkey, and Tunisia. It is reported that the ship has a maximum loading capacity of 7,000 standard vehicle units.

"Yuan Haikou," owned by China Ocean Shipping Auto Transport Co., Ltd., currently operates a fleet of 20 ships and plans to expand its scale to 30 ships next year.

Screenshot of the maiden voyage of the "Yuan Haikou" from CCTV News.

The South China Morning Post reported that in recent years, China's auto exports have grown rapidly, prompting BYD, Chery, SAIC, and other Chinese automakers to establish their own fleets in order to meet capacity needs. They hope to reduce costs and stabilize operations through the "independent transportation" strategy.

Notably, China's status as the world's leading shipbuilder is increasingly causing concern in the United States. Previously, the Trump administration announced plans to impose higher fees on Chinese ships docking at U.S. ports starting in October. This scheme has already drawn dissatisfaction from various industries in the U.S., warning that it will backfire and severely impact the U.S. supply chain.

In January, China's General Administration of Customs released data showing that in 2024, China exported 6.41 million vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 23%. The value of automotive exports reached $117.4 billion, accounting for 3.3% of China's total exports, up from 1.7% in the previous year. It was introduced that in 2024, China's electric vehicle exports exceeded 2 million units for the first time. "As the saying goes, 'All roads lead to Rome.' If these cars were connected end-to-end, they could stretch from Beijing to Rome."

In recent years, the European electric vehicle industry has been struggling with slowing sales growth across the entire European market: automakers have invested heavily in production, but for consumers squeezed by high inflation, electric vehicles remain expensive. In this context, China's low-cost, most advanced electric vehicles are highly attractive to European consumers.

However, just as Chinese low-priced electric vehicles filled the void in the European market, European governments began wielding the "tariff stick."

Last October, despite opposition from European automakers and China, the EU Commission insisted on imposing a five-year so-called "final anti-subsidy duty" on Chinese electric vehicles, raising it from 10% to a maximum of 45.3%. The EC also stated that it would continue to negotiate with China to explore "alternative solutions." Many media outlets pointed out that the large number of abstention votes highlighted member states' unease about instigating a "trade war" with China.

In response, China has repeatedly expressed its position, stating that it does not recognize or accept the ruling result and has filed a lawsuit under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. China will continue to take all necessary measures to firmly uphold the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

Data shows that in 2024, the sales volume of electric vehicles in the European region was 2.28 million units, accounting for approximately 13% of global total sales. However, due to weak economic growth and EU tariffs, the sales of electric vehicles in Europe fell short of expectations, with an annual sales decline of 21% compared to the previous year.

In the midst of the global trade war initiated by the Trump administration in the U.S., according to a report by Sina Weibo @Yuyuan Tan Tian on April 13, recently, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held a video meeting with EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Šefčovič. The press release mentioned that both sides should immediately begin price commitment negotiations for electric vehicles. It is understood that teams from both China and the EU have begun contact.

According to a report by Reuters on April 23, Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Board of Daimler AG, during an event in China regarding the EU tariff dispute, urged the EU to find a "fair solution" to create a level playing field for Chinese-made electric vehicles in Europe.

This article is an exclusive piece by the Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7504956315811316278/

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