A roll-on/roll-off or ro-ro freight ship carrying 1,281 cars berthed on March 3 at Zhangjiagang Port in East China's Jiangsu province, and will next sail to Central and South America and the Middle East, highlighting the strong growth in the port's vehicle export business in the current year.

In the wake of its establishment in 2013, the vehicle import logistics center in Zhangjiagang has launched a number of ro-ro shipping lines linking Japan and North Africa, as well as South America.

Statistics have shown that the center has handled nearly 100,000 vehicles since 2013, generating more than 44 billion yuan ($6.78 billion) in sales, helping the city set up a complete industrial ecosystem for vehicles exports.

In recent years, the port has joined hands with local customs authorities to launch improved policies and streamline customs clearances, in a bid to create a sound business environment.

The local government's efforts have contributed to the settlement of five vehicle projects, which cover vehicle modifications and the mass export of vehicles, providing strong support for Zhangjiagang to transform and upgrade its traditional port industry.

The port authorities said that in future, Zhangjiagang will cooperate with car manufactures such as Mercedes-Benz, Geely and SAIC to offer advanced custom services.