UN/LOCODE: CNNSA📍 China
Port of Nansha Port (UN/LOCODE CNNSA)
❖ Coordinates: 22.7500°N, 113.5800°E
❖ Time Zone: Asia/Shanghai
❖ UN/LOCODE: CNNSA
## About the Port
Nansha Port (UN/LOCODE: **CNNSA**) is a deep‑water, container‑friendly gateway situated at the southern tip of the Pearl River Delta, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China. Located at **22.75° N, 113.58° E** and operating on **Asia/Shanghai** time (UTC +8), Nansha serves as the newest major hub in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) development plan. The port lies on the north shore of the **Nansha (South) Deep Water Channel**, a man‑made navigation route that links the South China Sea directly to the inland waterway network of the Pearl River. Its strategic position enables rapid trans‑shipment between mainland China, Southeast Asia, and the wider Indo‑Pacific region.
Key identifiers:
* **UN/LOCODE:** CNNSA
* **Port Code (IMO):** 9274370 (for the Nansha Anchorage)
* **Customs jurisdiction:** Guangzhou Customs (Nansha Division)
The port is administered by the **Guangdong Nansha Port Group Co., Ltd.**, a state‑owned enterprise reporting to the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a slot‑booking system that integrates the **Port Community System (PCS)** used across the Pearl River Delta.
## History
| Period | Milestones |
|--------|------------|
| **1995‑2005** | Feasibility studies initiated by the Ministry of Communications (now Ministry of Transport) to create a deep‑water terminal capable of handling post‑Panamax vessels. |
| **2006‑2010** | Construction of the Nansha Deep Water Channel (DWC) commenced; first dredging contracts awarded to China Harbour Engineering Company. |
| **2011** | Official opening of the **Nansha Container Terminal** (Phase 1) with an initial annual handling capacity of **2 million TEU**. |
| **2013‑2016** | Expansion to **Phase 2**, adding two service berths and a dedicated bulk cargo terminal; capacity raised to **4.5 million TEU**. |
| **2017** | Integration into the **China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone**, providing tax incentives and streamlined customs procedures. |
| **2019‑2022** | Launch of the **Nansha Logistics Park**, a multimodal hub linking rail, road, and pipeline services; adoption of AI‑driven terminal operating systems. |
| **2023** | Completion of the **Phase 3** expansion, featuring a 2,200‑meter quay and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for container handling, pushing the design capacity to **9 million TEU** per annum. |
| **2024‑present** | Ongoing investments in green port initiatives, including shore‑power for vessels and a 10 MW solar array. |
Nansha’s evolution reflects China’s broader “dual circulation” strategy, emphasizing domestic consumption while maintaining a robust export‑oriented logistics network. The port’s rapid development is closely tied to the 2019 **Outline for the Development of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area**, which earmarks Nansha as a key maritime node.
## Infrastructure & Facilities
### Berths and Waterways
* **Deep‑water berths:** 5 berths capable of accommodating vessels up to **400,000 dwt** (Ultra‑Large Container Ships).
* **Shallow‑water berths:** 4 berths for feeder vessels (up to **100,000 dwt**).
* **Channel depth:** Maintained at **15.5 m** (MDR) with regular dredging cycles to sustain draft requirements.
### Container Handling Equipment
| Equipment | Quantity | Automation Level |
|----------|----------|------------------|
| Ship‑to‑Shore (STS) gantry cranes | 22 (12 × 25 m outreach, 10 × 22 m) | Semi‑automated (remote monitoring) |
| Rail‑mounted gantry (RMG) cranes | 9 | Fully automated (Linde AGV integration) |
| Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) | 120 | Fully autonomous (warehouse control system) |
| Rubber‑tyred gantry (RTG) cranes | 30 | Semi‑automated (IoT sensor network) |
| Mobile cranes | 14 (30‑150 t) | Manual operation |
The port employs a **Terminal Operating System (TOS)** supplied by Navis, which interfaces with the **China Unicom Maritime Cloud** for real‑time vessel stowage planning, yard allocation, and customs clearance.
### Hinterland Connectivity
* **Rail:** Direct connection to the **China Railway Guangzhou Group** network; a dedicated 40‑km freight rail line links Nansha to the Guangzhou South Railway Hub, enabling 800 km of cross‑province reach within 12 hours.
* **Road:** Multi‑lane expressways (G4 Beijing‑Hong Kong–Macau Expressway, S3 Guangzhou–Nansha Expressway) provide 24‑hour truck access; a **logistics park** with >150 ha of warehousing supports intermodal transfers.
* **Belt‑and‑Road linkage:** Nansha serves as a maritime node for the **Maritime Silk Road**, feeding cargo into the ASEAN–China Free Trade Area.
### Ancillary Facilities
* **Customs inspection zones** equipped with X‑ray, gamma‑ray, and non‑intrusive inspection (NII) systems.
* **Cold‑chain storage:** 45,000 sq m of refrigerated warehousing for perishables, seafood, and pharmaceuticals.
* **Bulk cargo terminals:** Dedicated silos for coal, iron ore, and cement; handling capacity of 80 Mt/year.
* **Green infrastructure:** Shore‑power supply (up to 10 MW) for berthed vessels, a **waste‑heat recovery plant**, and a **ballast water treatment facility** complying with IMO D‑2 standards.
For a detailed technical specification, see the port’s official engineering dossier (in Chinese) hosted on the **Guangdong Maritime Administration** website【https://gdma.gov.cn/nansha】.
## Economic Importance
### Throughput Statistics
| Year | TEU Handled | Cargo Volume (Mt) | YoY Growth |
|------|-------------|-------------------|------------|
| 2018 | 3.2 million | 55 | +12 % |
| 2020 | 5.6 million | 92 | +18 % |
| 2022 | 7.8 million | 124 | +15 % |
| 2024 (proj.) | 9.0 million | 142 | +10 % |
Nansha’s container throughput now ranks **4th** among Chinese mainland ports, trailing only Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Ningbo‑Zhoushan. Its cargo composition is heavily skewed toward high‑value manufactured goods (electronics, automotive components, and consumer appliances).
### Regional Development Role
* **Greater Bay Area (GBA) integration:** Nansha provides the GBA with a modern, green, and high‑capacity gateway that alleviates congestion at Shenzhen and Guangzhou ports.
* **Foreign Direct Investment (FDI):** The free‑trade zone status has attracted over **US$5 billion** in logistics, warehousing, and value‑added service investments since 2017.
* **Employment:** Direct port employment exceeds **12,000** workers, with an estimated **35,000** indirect jobs in ancillary services (customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and ship repair).
### Strategic Significance
* **Military‑civilian synergy:** The proximity of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Southern Theater Command allows for joint-use of maritime surveillance assets, enhancing port security and anti‑piracy readiness.
* **Energy security:** The bulk terminal supports China’s coal and iron‑ore import strategies, while a newly commissioned LNG receiving station (capacity 5 Mtpa) diversifies energy sources.
## Trade Routes & Major Cargo
### Primary Trade Lanes
| Origin/Destination | Sea Route | Average Transit Time |
|--------------------|-----------|----------------------|
| **Nansha ↔ Singapore** | South China Sea → Malacca Strait | 4‑5 days |
| **Nansha ↔ Busan (South Korea)** | East China Sea → Yellow Sea | 3‑4 days |
| **Nansha ↔ Los Angeles (USA)** | Pacific Ocean via Panama Canal | 20‑22 days |
| **Nansha ↔ Rotterdam (Netherlands)** | Indian Ocean → Suez Canal → Mediterranean | 30‑33 days |
| **Nansha ↔ Jakarta (Indonesia)** | South China Sea → Java Sea | 5‑6 days |
These routes are serviced by a mix of **regular liner services** (e.g., Maersk, MSC, COSCO) and **point‑to‑point feeder vessels** that connect to secondary ports such as Hong Kong, Xiamen, and Kaohsiung.
### Cargo Profile
| Cargo Type | Share of Total Throughput | Typical Vessel Size |
|------------|---------------------------|----------------------|
| **Containerized manufactured goods** (electronics, machinery) | 62 % | 20 – 24 RF (≈ 16 – 20 k TEU) |
| **Automobiles & parts** | 9 % | Roll‑on‑roll‑off (RORO) ships (≈ 8 k GT) |
| **Pharmaceuticals & perishables** | 5 % | Reefer containers (40 ft) |
| **Bulk minerals** (coal, iron ore) | 13 % | Capesize bulk carriers (≈ 180 k dwt) |
| **Energy products** (LNG, crude) | 4 % | LNG carriers (≈ 170 k m³) |
| **Other** (project cargo, timber) | 7 % | Various specialized vessels |
Nansha’s **cold‑chain logistics** and **pharmaceutical compliance** have made it a preferred entry point for high‑value, temperature‑sensitive commodities destined for Southern China and the broader GBA market.
### Emerging Trends
* **Digital cargo platforms:** Integration with the **Shanghai International Freight Forwarding Platform** enables shippers to book slots and monitor cargo in real time, boosting transparency and reducing dwell time.
* **Green shipping:** The port’s shore‑power and low‑sulfur fuel policies align with the IMO 2020 and upcoming IMO 2030 emission regulations, attracting eco‑conscious liner operators.
* **Multimodal freight corridors:** Nansha is a terminus for the **China‑Vietnam Railway Corridor**, facilitating land‑bridge flows that bypass congested maritime chokepoints.
---
*Keywords: Nansha Port, CNNSA, Guangdong maritime hub, Pearl River Delta, deep‑water container terminal, Greater Bay Area, maritime Silk Road, container throughput, green port initiatives.*
Port Intelligence
UN/LOCODE
CNNSA
Country
China
Province / Region
Guangdong
Latitude
22.750000
Longitude
113.580000
Timezone
Asia/Shanghai
Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)
Loading Map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Nansha Port?
The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Nansha Port is CNNSA.
Where is Port of Nansha Port located?
The Port of Nansha Port is located in China, Guangdong. Its coordinates are 22.7500°N, 113.5800°E.
What time zone is Port of Nansha Port in?
Port of Nansha Port operates in the Asia/Shanghai time zone.
Scanning Local Infrastructure...
About the World Port Index
This data is sourced programmatically. The UN/LOCODE is the official geographic coding scheme used by the United Nations for trade and transport locations.
📍 Nearby Ports
Other maritime facilities geographically close to Nansha Port.
Humen Port
China • 13 km awayShatian
China • 19 km awayFuyong
China • 23 km awayJiao Xin
China • 28 km away