On January 30, a coal-laden freight train slowly entered the dedicated rail line at the Gaoxing Coal Reserve Base in Sichuan Province. After the rotary car dumper was activated, coal poured into the receiving hopper. The base is Sichuan's first national-level coal reserve and distribution facility, with a Phase I static storage capacity of 600,000 metric tons and an annual throughput and distribution capacity of six million metric tons. Located in Huaying City, the Gaoxing Logistics Park serves as the core platform for the region's logistics port development and is accelerating the establishment of a regional logistics hub for eastern Sichuan and northern Chongqing.

Why was Sichuan's first national-level coal reserve and distribution base sited in Huaying? The location lies at a critical node along the 'north-to-south coal transport' corridor. Gaoxing Town is the intersection point of the Xiangyang–Chongqing and Lanzhou–Chongqing railways, with Guang'an Port reachable within 20 minutes and nearby airports within one hour, making it an energy 'transshipment hub' for thermal power plants in Sichuan and Chongqing. Coal from regions such as Xinjiang and Shaanxi is transshipped here, with rail coverage extending up to 300 kilometers and road coverage reaching 150 kilometers. Following its connection to the national railway trunk line in October 2024, transshipment efficiency has further improved. By 2025, the base had already supplied 635,000 metric tons of coal to 11 enterprises, including the Guang'an Power Plant and Chongqing Shuanghuai Power Plant, with emergency reserves exceeding 250,000 metric tons.

Aerial view of the Gaoxing Coal Reserve Base in Sichuan

Given Sichuan's annual coal demand of over 65 million metric tons and domestic production of only 30 million metric tons, the base plays a key role in emergency supply assurance. Its bucket-wheel stacker-reclaimer has a daily stacking and reclaiming capacity of 30,000 metric tons, and collaboration agreements with sales and transportation partners ensure efficient end-to-end operations. Currently, the base is advancing its later-phase construction, aiming to increase its coal storage capacity to over one million metric tons. This year, it will also launch a 'rail-to-water' transport model, shipping coal via Guang'an Port and Guoyuan Port to destinations in Chongqing and Hubei, reducing freight costs per metric ton by 15%–20%.

Leveraging its logistics advantages, Huaying City is accelerating the development of an integrated 'logistics + industry' ecosystem. The Huaying Smart Road-Rail Logistics Base, operated by Shudao Logistics Group, spans 173 mu and will establish a digital platform that uses big data and AI to seamlessly integrate rail, road, and port operations. Three standard warehouses can be converted into factory spaces to accommodate industrial relocations from the Chengdu–Chongqing region, particularly in sectors such as building materials and automotive parts. The base also plans to construct a comprehensive energy refueling station equipped with fueling, gas refilling, and new-energy vehicle charging facilities, expected to become operational within the year.

Trucks are transferring coal at the Gaoxing Coal Reserve Base in Sichuan

Additionally, the Guang'an Base of Sichuan Shuwu Pavement Materials Co., Ltd. has been established within the park, with an annual modified asphalt production capacity of 200,000 metric tons and a static storage capacity of 60,000 metric tons. It is projected to generate output worth 1.6 billion RMB in 2025. Capitalizing on its strategic location, the base enables direct procurement of raw materials and direct shipment of finished products, improving transportation efficiency by approximately 30% and reducing logistics costs by 15%–20%. Currently, the base is collaborating with Huaying's basalt fiber industry to co-develop new products such as high-modulus asphalt, promoting integrated development across the chain—from material production and composite modification to engineering application. A new model of industrial integration, anchored by logistics and driven by manufacturing, is rapidly taking shape.

Aerial view of the Gaoxing Coal Reserve Base in SichuanRecently, the Huaying Smart Road-Rail Logistics Base of Shudao Logistics Group is accelerating its construction

【本文部分内容由AI辅助生成，特此声明。The author(s) generated part of the content in this work with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), which is hereby declared.】