On March 13, data from the Ministry of Transport indicated that the 40-day Spring Festival travel period is projected to record 9.4 billion cross-regional passenger trips, averaging 235 million daily. This represents a 4.3% increase compared to the same period in 2025, setting a new historical record. Railway passenger volume reached 538 million trips, with a daily average of 13.44 million, up 4.8% year-on-year. Road travel, including non-commercial passenger vehicles on highways and ordinary national highways as well as commercial road passenger transport, totaled 8.736 billion trips, averaging 218 million daily, a 4.2% increase. Commercial road passenger transport accounted for 1.281 billion trips, averaging 32.03 million daily, rising 5.0%, while non-commercial vehicle travel reached 7.455 billion trips, averaging 186 million daily, up 4.0%. Waterway passenger volume reached 35.95 million trips, with a daily average of 900,000, surging 15.2%. Civil aviation passenger volume was 94.39 million trips, averaging 236,000 daily, increasing 4.6%.
The peak daily cross-regional travel volume occurred on February 22 (the sixth day of the Lunar New Year), reaching 380 million trips, a record high. Railway passenger volume peaked on February 23 (the seventh day) at 18.73 million trips. Road travel peaked on February 22 at 358 million trips. Waterway passenger volume peaked on February 20 (the fourth day) at 2.03 million trips. Civil aviation passenger volume peaked on February 23 at 2.67 million trips.
During the 2026 Spring Festival travel period, cargo throughput at ports along the Yangtze River exceeded 400 million tons, a 6.33% year-on-year increase, while passenger volume reached 7.33 million. Key supplies such as thermal coal and jet fuel were prioritized, with coal transport volume reaching 87.742 million tons, up 7.69%. Container transport volume was 29.8954 million tons, increasing 14.27% to support exports of machinery, equipment, and electrical products. A "green channel" was established for 11 large vessels importing soybeans, providing priority pilotage, anchoring, and berthing services. The Yangtze River Pilot Center guided 5,935 vessels, handling 46.768 million tons of cargo.
Yangtze River cruise tourism showed strong growth, with passenger volume reaching 1.1823 million, up 18.01%. Inter-provincial cruise passenger volume was 56,300, surging 73.05%, while riverside tourism in cities like Chongqing, Yichang, Wuhan, and Nanjing reached 1.1262 million passengers, up 16.26%.
The Qiongzhou Strait route between Haian and Haikou transported 4,663,725 passengers and 1,162,748 vehicles, including 205,271 new energy vehicles, representing increases of 11.7%, 9.45%, and 61.66%, respectively. The peak occurred on February 24, with 360 ferry departures carrying 183,289 passengers and 42,262 vehicles, setting a single-day record.
Sichuan Province aims to achieve 6.5 billion yuan in water transport investment in 2026. In 2025, the province completed 6.027 billion yuan in fixed-asset investment in water transport, with the number of new and completed projects hitting a decade high. The length of inland waterways above Grade IV surpassed 2,050 km, and waterway cargo turnover reached 32.6 billion ton-kilometers, growing 11.9%, the third highest growth rate nationally.
In February 2026, roll-on/roll-off transport in the Three Gorges Reservoir area moved 5,800 trucks, down 54.5% month-on-month and 33% year-on-year, while transporting 6,000 drivers and passengers, down 54.5% and 33.9%, respectively. Port throughput in the area totaled 11,600 vehicles, with major contributions from Chongqing's Guojiatuo (3,200 vehicles), Zhongxian Xinsheng (1,400 vehicles), Wanhou Hongxigou (1,200 vehicles), Hubei's Zigui Yinxingtuo (4,400 vehicles), and Zigui Port (1,400 vehicles).
China's shipbuilding completions in 2025 reached 53.69 million deadweight tons, up 11.4%. New orders fell 4.6% to 107.82 million deadweight tons, while hand-held orders rose 31.5% to 274.42 million deadweight tons. China's share of global completions, new orders, and hand-held orders by deadweight tonnage stood at 56.1%, 69.0%, and 66.8%, respectively. Six Chinese companies ranked among the world's top ten by these metrics, with China State Shipbuilding Corporation leading globally.
China's gross ocean product in 2025 reached 11.018 trillion yuan, up 5.5%, accounting for 7.9% of GDP. The primary, secondary, and tertiary ocean industries contributed 492.3 billion yuan (4.5%), 4.1017 trillion yuan (37.2%), and 6.424 trillion yuan (58.3%), respectively.
Orient Overseas International reported a full-year 2025 net profit of 1.52 billion USD, with revenue of 9.72 billion USD, down 9.2%. EBIT fell 41.2% to 1.55 billion USD, while EBITDA declined 28.1% to 2.54 billion USD. EBITDA and EBIT margins were 26.2% and 15.9%, respectively.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has secured a 45-year concession to operate a new container terminal at Nigeria's Snake Island Port, marking a key step in its West African infrastructure strategy. The project is part of MSC's over 1 billion USD investment in Nigerian ports and logistics. The terminal will feature a 910-meter quay equipped with ship-to-shore and mobile harbor cranes, serving both deep-sea vessels and barges. The initial dredging depth is 16.5 meters, matching existing channels, with a 30-hectare container yard using hybrid rubber-tired gantry cranes and space reserved for future expansion.
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