The scale is striking:
- First batch: 4,275 vehicles
- Third batch: 4,454 vehicles
- Average per batch: more than 4,350 vehicles
Each shipment was therefore comparable to the nominal intake of a medium-sized PCTC — a clear signal that containerized routes are no longer a niche workaround, but a core lane for automotive cargo.
Exports Keep Accelerating
The operation lands at a moment of rapid growth. China exported 6.14 million vehicles in the first seven months of 2026, up 66.8% year on year, while new-energy vehicle exports surged to 2.91 million units.
Despite a heavy PCTC delivery schedule, longer trading distances and rapidly expanding cargo volumes continue to absorb new capacity. Veson Nautical estimates that alternative transport channels — primarily containers and other vessel types — could carry around two million vehicles in 2026, double the 2025 level.
For freight forwarders, this matters. Containerized vehicle shipping now operates at multi-thousand-unit scale, giving automakers access to frequent liner services, established terminal infrastructure, and more flexible port coverage. That flexibility opens fresh opportunities for those positioned to handle automotive volumes across diverse trade lanes.
China's automotive export logistics network is fast becoming a true multimodal system — PCTCs, containerships, multipurpose vessels, and RoCon ships working side by side to keep the world's fastest-growing car exporter moving.
