Reducing Heavy Cargo Logistics Costs for Global Canned Food Buyers

Optimizing Heavy Cargo Logistics for Global Canned Food Exports

Industry: Food Processing & Export
Products: Canned asparagus and processed fruits & vegetables
Annual Capacity: 50,000+ tons
Export Markets: 70+ countries and regions worldwide

Background

As a comprehensive food export enterprise, the client processes and exports over 50,000 tons of canned vegetables and fruits annually, including asparagus and other bulk agricultural products.

Due to the high weight and volume of canned goods, international transportation costs had long been a major challenge for overseas buyers. Rising freight rates directly affected landed costs, competitiveness, and order stability.

Each year, a large number of containers are shipped from factories to ports and then distributed globally. How to reduce logistics costs while ensuring stable delivery became a key concern for both the exporter and its international buyers.

Challenge

• Heavy cargo with high transportation costs
• Traditional logistics relied mainly on road transport + sea freight, resulting in high inland freight expenses
• Increasing pressure from global freight rate fluctuations
• Overseas buyers faced higher landed costs, impacting long-term procurement decisions

Solution

To address these challenges, the logistics model was comprehensively optimized:

• Transport mode upgraded from
  Road → Sea
  to
  Railway → Sea
• Containers are now loaded directly at the factory, then transported by rail to port
• Achieved an efficient “Factory Gate Loading, Port-to-World Direct Shipping” model

This multimodal solution significantly reduced inland transportation costs while improving efficiency and reliability.

Results

• ✅ Annual logistics cost savings exceeding RMB 5 million
• ✅ Lower landed costs for overseas buyers, improving price competitiveness
• ✅ More stable and predictable shipping schedules
• ✅ Reduced risk from road congestion and freight volatility
• ✅ Stronger fulfillment capability for long-term international contracts

Value for Overseas Buyers

A stable and optimized logistics supply chain plays a critical role in:

• Ensuring on-time delivery of large-volume orders
• Reducing overall procurement and transportation costs
• Enhancing supply chain reliability and planning accuracy

By solving high-cost logistics issues at the source, this solution helps international buyers secure competitive pricing while maintaining consistent product supply.

Conclusion

This case demonstrates how logistics optimization for heavy cargo exports can create shared value for exporters and overseas buyers alike.

Through rail–sea multimodal transport and factory-direct container loading, the enterprise successfully reduced costs, improved efficiency, and strengthened its global supply chain—supporting sustainable growth in international markets.