October 3, 2024 – Yantai, Shandong Province:- BYD, China’s leading new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer, has launched its third car carrier vessel, BYD Changjo, further expanding its fleet dedicated to transporting NEVs. This marks a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to bolster its logistics capabilities and support its rapidly growing international presence. The announcement was shared by a semi-official BYD Weibo account, which noted that the BYD Changjo is the second vessel in the fleet named after a BYD production base, following BYD Hu.
The name Changjo refers to a city in Jiangsu Province, where BYD operates its fourth passenger car plant. This facility began construction in 2019 and officially commenced operations in January 2022. It is known for producing popular BYD models like the Yuan Plus and Seal. The decision to name vessels after production bases reflects BYD’s strategy of aligning its shipping resources with its manufacturing hubs, ensuring efficient transport of vehicles to global markets.
The addition of the BYD Changjo comes as the company ramps up its shipping capacity to meet the increasing demand for NEVs both domestically and internationally. Over the past few years, BYD has emerged as China’s largest NEV manufacturer, with significant growth in sales and production capacity. The company plans to introduce more car carriers in the near future, strengthening its logistics network and supporting its international expansion.
Earlier this year, in January, BYD launched its first car carrier, the BYD Explorer No. 1, which transported vehicles from Yantai Port in Shandong and Xi Port in Shenzhen before setting sail. Unlike the BYD Hu and BYD Changjo, the Explorer No. 1 is not owned by BYD but was built by CMC Raffles, a subsidiary of China International Marine Containers, for international shipping company Zodiac Maritime. This collaboration underscores BYD’s pragmatic approach, leveraging global maritime logistics partnerships while building its own fleet.
In a related development, on September 21, Guangzhou Shipyard International held an undocking ceremony for BYD’s dual-fuel automobile RoRo vessel, which can carry up to 7,000 vehicles. Named after Hu, the capital city of Anhui Province, another key BYD production hub, this naming strategy reinforces the company’s connection to its manufacturing locations, linking logistics assets with key cities in its production ecosystem.
BYD’s sales performance continues to soar, with 2.75 million NEVs sold from January to September, representing a 32.13% year-on-year increase. The company also saw a rise in overseas sales, with 297,000 NEVs sold abroad, accounting for 10.84% of its total sales. As BYD plans to expand its fleet with seven more RoRo vessels in the next two years, it aims to further enhance its global supply chain and logistics efficiency, positioning itself as a major player in the international NEV market.
BYD’s continued investment in logistics, including dedicated vessels like the BYD Changjo, reflects its commitment to meeting the growing global demand for NEVs, streamlining vehicle deliveries, and improving customer satisfaction. This expansion is part of BYD’s broader strategy to integrate manufacturing and supply chain operations, ensuring a resilient and flexible logistics network capable of adapting to the dynamic needs of the automotive market.