China’s Guangzhou Port recently completed acceptance of the third silo phase at its Nansha Grain and General Cargo Terminal, lifting total silo capacity to 1.5 million tonnes.
The CNY1.65 billion (US$250 million) project added 638,000 tonnes of grain storage capacity at the terminal on Longxue Island on the west bank of the Pearl River. The facility handles more than 10 million tonnes of grain annually.
The Guangzhou Port Affairs Bureau said the expansion included 32 large-diameter silos and 56 vertical silos. The vertical units provide 292,000 tonnes of capacity, while the large-diameter silos account for 346,000 tonnes.
New handling systems are rated to move 8,000 tonnes per hour into storage and load out 6,000 tonnes per hour. Associated works included transfer towers, a substation, conveyor bridges and supporting infrastructure.
Construction formally began in October 2022. All 56 vertical silos, arranged in four groups, were completed using sliding-form construction over 32 days. Large-diameter silo sliding-form works were also completed ahead of the original schedule.
Heavy-load equipment and silo pressure tests were completed in April 2025, followed by a grain-inbound trial run in December. The terminal remained operational during construction despite limited working space and overlapping vehicle movements.
The Nansha facility handles grain imports, storage, intermediate transfer and distribution. The port affairs bureau describes it as China’s first and largest specialised bulk-grain terminal to undergo a fully automated “smart” upgrade.
Guangzhou Port’s Liangtong Company said the third phase would allow the full 1.5 million tonnes of combined storage capacity to be used while supporting annual throughput above 10 million tonnes.
The terminal has six deep-water berths. Its two dedicated grain berths accommodate vessels drawing up to 15.1 metres, while four bulk and general cargo berths have a maximum draught of 14.5 metres.
