Using the Pinglu Canal to Connect Rivers and Seas: Baise Aluminum Establishes a Two-Way Maritime Supply Chain

On October 29, the interview delegation of the 2026 Western New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor Guangxi Tour visited Guangxi Baikuang New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Geely Baikuang Group.

The company's project with an annual output of 10 million aluminum alloy wheels is one of Guangxi's key industrial projects under the Double Hundred, Double New initiative. It aims to establish a major production and R&D base in Southwest China for passenger vehicle aluminum alloy wheels and lightweight automotive components made from aluminum-based new materials.

The interview delegation toured the production line of Baikuang New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. 

Photo by Lin Shanting

"For our enterprise at the current stage, the most direct benefit brought by the Pinglu Canal lies in the inbound transportation of bulk raw materials such as coal and alumina," said Su Yonghui, Head of the Logistics Department at Geely Baikuang Group. In the past, the enterprise's raw material procurement and finished product outbound transportation were highly dependent on highways and railways, keeping the overall logistics cost at a persistently high level. "After the Pinglu Canal opens to navigation, our cargo can be transported directly from Qinzhou Port to Baise Port via the canal. The cost of water transportation is significantly lower than that of railway and road transport, saving around 30% in freight costs per ton. This could reduce our annual overall logistics costs by tens of millions of yuan."

At present, Baise is making every effort to build an advanced manufacturing base for pan-aluminum components targeting the ASEAN market, moving beyond the traditional primary aluminum production model and ushering in a new phase of development for the industry.

Leveraging its own resource advantages, Geely Baikuang Group is focusing on the development of lightweight components for new energy vehicles. It plans to prioritize the R&D of high-value-added products such as lightweight structural parts and integrated die-casting components for new energy vehicles, and cooperate with universities, research institutes and upstream and downstream partners to make breakthroughs in high-performance aluminum alloy material technologies, so as to continuously improve the technical content and added value of its products.

By leveraging the Pinglu Canal as a vital link, the group will deepen collaboration with logistics and trade platforms, support the development of a pan-aluminum component industrial cluster that serves Southwest China and targets ASEAN markets, and help more high-end aluminum products made in Baise enter global markets.