Vehicles are ready for export. [Photo by Zhu Jiana/Yongpai App]

As a major auto export hub in the Yangtze River Delta, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has maintained strong growth in vehicle trade this year.

According to Ningbo Customs, the port exported 116,000 vehicles in the first quarter, up 37.1 percent year-on-year, with total export value reaching 12.06 billion yuan ($1.76 billion), a 40.9 percent increase.

New energy vehicles (NEVs) have been the standout driver, with exports hitting 83,000 units, up 56.2 percent, while their total value climbed 58.9 percent to 9.52 billion yuan.

Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, and the European Union have emerged as key markets. Exports to Brazil and the EU in particular expanded rapidly, rising by 100.4 percent and 160.7 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the ASEAN market is surging, with vehicle exports to ASEAN topping 370 million yuan, a remarkable 123.2 percent year-on-year jump.

According to Chen Xue, deputy general manager of Ningbo Sovel Supply Chain Management, many Southeast Asian countries, heavily reliant on imported oil, are showing strong demand for NEVs. The company is promoting its automotive export logistics agency operations in these markets.

To support this growth, new shipping routes are being rolled out. By the end of March, the Meixi ro-ro terminal had opened six international routes linking markets across West Africa, the Middle East, Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia, further strengthening Ningbo's role in global automotive trade.