Guangzhou Customs reported in early October 2026 that the Nansha automobile port exported more than 400,000 vehicles in the first nine months of the year, up about 36% on the same period of 2025. For an importer buying cars in South China, Nansha is the main ro-ro gateway of the region, so its capacity, customs set-up and holiday schedule affect when your cars actually sail.
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How many cars did Nansha export in the first nine months of 2026?
Nansha automobile port exported more than 400,000 vehicles from January to September 2026, an increase of about 36% year on year, according to Guangzhou Customs reports published on 4 October 2026. An earlier report put first-half exports at about 250,000 vehicles (up about 30%), of which about 124,000 were new energy vehicles. Other reports use different bases (for example 268,000 foreign-trade vehicles handled in the first half), so compare only like with like.
Two points on reading the number. It counts vehicles passing through this one port, not all Chinese car exports. For the national picture see China’s September 2026 car export data. And “vehicles” here includes engineering vehicles: customs says engineering-vehicle exports were worth about 2 billion yuan, more than six times the level a year earlier, with new energy mixer trucks, excavators and tractors going to the Middle East.
What is the Nansha car terminal and how big is it?
Nansha is the largest car ro-ro terminal cluster in South China. Customs-sourced reports describe seven dedicated ro-ro berths of 10,000 tons or above and a designed annual throughput of more than 3 million vehicles, with 14 foreign-trade car export routes opened to date. Other trade press quotes slightly different berth counts, so treat the berth number as approximate and ask your carrier which berth your vessel uses.
Brands reported as shipping from Nansha include GAC Aion, BYD and Xpeng, plus more than ten construction-machinery brands such as Sany and Zoomlion (Guangzhou Customs via China News Service, October 2026).
Which ships and destinations load at Nansha right now?
On 2 October 2026 the ro-ro ship “Kilimanjaro” left Nansha with 5,186 domestically built cars bound for Mexico, according to Guangzhou Daily. This is a single-source report, so use it as an example of vessel scale, not as a schedule. Customs also said exporters planned seven ships and about 16,000 vehicles over the National Day holiday week.
On 16 October 2026, Guangdong’s first green methanol bunkering of a ro-ro ship was completed at Nansha, according to China News Service: the newly built dual-fuel carrier “Guangrong” loaded more than 4,000 new energy vehicles for Europe, calling at Spain and Belgium. This is one report, and the same ship also loaded 1,530 cars at Nanjing on 10 October 2026 on the same voyage to Spain and Belgium, so the loading count is not a fixed figure.
The reported examples point to Latin America, Europe and (for engineering vehicles) the Middle East. For other regions such as Africa, routes and sailing dates change by month; confirm with your forwarder.
How does customs clearance work for cars at Nansha?
Nansha Customs says it runs 24-hour intelligent clearance, 365 days a year, supports advance declaration, and inspects ro-ro ships on a “ship arrives, officers arrive, inspect on berthing” basis. It also uses a monitoring system to watch yard saturation and tells the terminal how to arrange yards for passenger cars and engineering vehicles (Dayoo and China News Service, 4 October 2026).
This helps most when the paperwork is complete before the car reaches the port. Mismatched VINs or consignee names are what stop a car, not the terminal’s opening hours. Use the export documents checklist and check drafts before loading.
What does this mean for importers buying cars in Guangzhou?
- Book space early around holidays. Customs reported seven ships planned over the National Day week, so ask early about cut-off dates around Chinese public holidays.
- Choose RoRo or container on volume. Full ro-ro shipping suits batches of the same model; see how many cars fit in a container for small lots.
- Pay attention to payment terms. Large shipments need documents that match your credit terms: LC vs T/T.
- Plan the arrival end too. Quick loading in China does not help if the destination port is congested: CIF Djibouti example.
- Check the model’s export name and steering side before ordering: BYD China names vs export names.
Model guides for cars often shipped from South China: BYD Seagull, Dolphin vs Seagull, Geely Galaxy Battleship 700, Zeekr 9X vs Lynk & Co 900 and Hongqi HS5. For the wider buying chain, read how the China car export chain works. If you visit the city for the fair, see Canton Fair 2026 for car buyers.
Hanvia Motors is not a licensed exporter and does not operate the terminal; this article reports public figures so that buyers can plan.
FAQ
Where is the Nansha car terminal?
It is in Nansha District of Guangzhou, on the Pearl River Delta coast in Guangdong, and is the main car ro-ro terminal cluster of South China.
How many cars did Nansha export in 2026?
More than 400,000 vehicles from January to September 2026, up about 36% year on year, per Guangzhou Customs reports of 4 October 2026.
Is Nansha open on public holidays?
Customs reported 24-hour clearance and 365-day operation, and ships loaded over the 2026 National Day holiday. Confirm cut-off times with your forwarder.
Can I ship one car from Nansha by ro-ro?
For small lots, container shipping is the alternative; see the ro-ro vs container guide above and ask your forwarder what the carrier accepts.
Do the figures include electric cars only?
No. They cover all vehicles, including petrol, hybrid, electric and engineering vehicles. In the first half, about 124,000 of 250,000 were new energy vehicles.
Sources: Nine-month figure (more than 400,000 vehicles, about 36% growth), berth count (seven, 10,000-ton class or above), capacity above 3 million vehicles, 14 routes, customs facilitation measures and National Day plan (7 ships, about 16,000 vehicles): Guangzhou Customs information as published by Guangzhou Daily/Dayoo and China News Service (Sina), 4 October 2026; two outlets, one original source. Engineering-vehicle value (about 2 billion yuan, over six times) and brand list: China News Service only. First-half figures (about 250,000, about 124,000 new energy vehicles): Xin Kuai Bao citing Guangzhou Customs, 1 August 2026 (single source; another report quotes 268,000 foreign-trade vehicles on a different basis, not used). “Kilimanjaro” 5,186 cars to Mexico, 2 October 2026: Guangzhou Daily only (single source). Green methanol bunkering of “Guangrong” at Nansha, 16 October 2026 (more than 4,000 cars): China News Service only (single source); a separate report of the same ship loading 1,530 cars at Nanjing on 10 October 2026 shows loading counts vary by port. Berth counts differ between reports. Checked October 2026. Cover photo: generic car carrier, not at Nansha. We do not quote freight or fees. Photo: FPTI / Wikimedia Commons, CC0.