Hefei Logistics Update: New Port Capacity and Expressway Milestones Reshape Supply Chain Routes
Hefei (合肥, Héféi) has quietly become a multimodal logistics competitor in central China. As of Q1 2025, the city moved over 245,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) through its inland port — a 31% increase year-on-year — and opened 73 kilometers of new expressway lanes in the past 12 months. These infrastructure upgrades are shifting logistics cost structures for companies operating within a 300-kilometer radius of the Yangtze River Delta’s western edge.
This article recaps the specific port and road network developments that matter for foreign executives evaluating warehousing, manufacturing, or distribution in the 安徽自贸试验区 (Anhui Pilot Free Trade Zone, AHFTZ, ānhuī zì mào shì yàn qū) — particularly the Hefei area, where both water and road capacity have been scaled up simultaneously.
We will cover the new terminal expansion at Hefei Port, the completion of the G42-north Hefei bypass, and the updated transit time data that makes this location more competitive against traditional hubs like Wuhan and Zhengzhou.
Port Expansion: Hefei Port’s New River-Rail Terminal
On March 15, 2025, the Hefei Port Group inaugurated Phase II of its international river-rail intermodal terminal at Nanyi Port (南淝河港区, Nánféi hé gǎng qū). The expansion added 42,000 square meters of container yard space and two new 50-ton gantry cranes, increasing annual throughput capacity from 180,000 TEUs to 280,000 TEUs. The terminal directly connects to the Hefei-Nanjing-Shanghai rail freight line, reducing Shanghai-bound truck traffic by an estimated 12,000 trips per year.
For context, in 2020 Hefei Port handled 187,400 TEUs. By 2024, that figure reached 324,100 TEUs. The new capacity comes at a time when hinterland port operators across Anhui are under pressure to absorb overflow from Ningbo-Zhoushan and Shanghai ports. The Phase II terminal specifically targets automobile parts and electronics exports — two sectors that make up 43% of Hefei’s outbound containerized cargo by value.
Water-Land Transit Time Improvements
The new terminal also introduces a barge-on-schedule system with guaranteed departure times to Shanghai Yangshan Deep-Water Port. Barge transit time has been cut from 6.5 days (2023 average) to a consistent 4 days. The route now runs five times per week rather than three, with cargo cut-off time extended from 48 hours to 24 hours before sailing. Anhui Gateway calculations show this reduces average drayage cost for a 20-foot container by 15%, or approximately RMB 680 per box.
Road Network: G42 Hefei Bypass and G5011 Wuhu Link
In November 2024, the Anhui Provincial Transport Department opened the 37-kilometer Hefei northern bypass section of the G42 Shanghai–Chengdu Expressway (沪蓉高速, Hù-Róng Gāosù). The bypass redirects east-west through-traffic away from downtown Hefei, cutting average transit time for vehicles crossing the city from 50 minutes to just 14 minutes. The design speed is 120 km/h, and the road includes three truck-only climbing lanes on the Feidong-to-Changfeng grade sections.
Simultaneously, the extension of G5011 Wuhu–Hefei Expressway (芜合高速, Wú-Hé Gāosù) from Wuhu’s Zhuji Port directly to Hefei’s logistics park cluster in Feixi County was completed in December 2024. This 36-kilometer link reduces truck travel time between Wuhu Port (the largest river port on the lower Yangtze) and Hefei’s major bonded warehouse zone from 1 hour 40 minutes to 58 minutes. For foreign companies managing dual-port strategies (using both Wuhu and Hefei ports), this road link offers tangible savings.
The following table summarizes key road metrics before and after these projects:
| Route Segment | Pre-2024 Transit Time | Post-2024 Transit Time | Distance | Annual Truck Volume Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G42 Hefei Downtown (old) | 50 min | 14 min (bypass) | 37 km | 2.8 million |
| G5011 Wuhu Port → Hefei Feixi | 100 min | 58 min | 36 km | 1.1 million |
| G4212 Hefei Southern Ring (S) | 22 min | 22 min (unchanged) | 28 km | 3.2 million |
The data shows that while the southern ring lane remains stable, the northern bypass and Wuhu link deliver meaningful transit time compression — critical for perishable goods and just-in-sequence automotive supply chains.
Logistics Park Integration and Warehousing Rates
The Hefei municipal government, through its logistics planning office (合肥市物流规划办公室, Héféi shì wùliú guīhuà bàngōng shì), is now linking these port and road projects to four designated logistics parks: the 合肥空港物流园 (Héféi Kōnggǎng Wùliú Yuán) near Xinqiao International Airport, the 合肥综合保税区 (Héféi Zōnghé Bǎoshuì Qū) in Yaohai, the Feixi Bonded Logistics Center, and the newly approved Lujiang Industrial Park logistics zone. All four parks are within 12 kilometers of either the G42 bypass or the upgraded G5011 corridor.
Warehouse rental rates in these zones range from RMB 18 to RMB 24 per square meter per month for Class-A warehouse space — roughly 12% to 18% below comparable space in Nanjing or Hefei’s downtown fringe. The combination of lower land cost, improved road access, and direct river-rail connection makes these parks viable for long-term consolidation hubs. One automotive tier-1 supplier told Anhui Gateway that it saved RMB 3.2 million annually by relocating its finished-goods warehouse from Nanjing’s Jiangning district to Feixi’s bonded zone in late 2024.
Decision Framework for Logistics Location
If your cargo is primarily eastbound containerized exports (electronics, machinery, auto parts), choose the Feixi Bonded Logistics Center or the Yaohai Comprehensive Bonded Zone for direct barge connection to Shanghai. If your supply chain relies on inbound raw materials from the Yangtze River (steel coils, bulk chemicals, grain), choose Wuhu Port as your primary discharge point, then use the G5011 link for trucking to a satellite warehouse in Hefei. If you run a mixed air-and-rail model using Xinqiao International Airport’s cargo flights, choose the Airport Logistics Park for immediate cargo handling.
Three Pitfalls in the Hefei Logistics Update
Next Steps for Foreign Executives
To evaluate how these developments fit your supply chain, we recommend three concrete actions:
- Audit your current port pair. Read our Hinterland Port Comparison: Shanghai, Ningbo, Wuhu, Hefei guide — it lays out per-TEU cost and transit time for each route.
- Visit the Feixi Bonded Center. Schedule a site inspection. For a checklist of what to look for in bonded warehouse facilities, see our Bonded Warehouse Audit Checklist: Hefei Zone.
- Review your trucking contract terms. Use our Trucking Service Agreement Template (China) to lock in G42-bypass routing clauses and GPS compliance.
— Anhui Gateway —
Remote China market entry support, built around execution.