The Yangtze River rushes forward, connecting the "golden waterway" of China's economy. As an important carrier of national strategy, the Yangtze River Economic Belt is moving forward with the momentum of high-quality development. In this process, Hengfeng Bank has always anchored the core mission of "serving national strategies and empowering the real economy", deeply integrated into the construction of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, injecting continuous vitality into the coastal port economy with innovative financial services, and helping to build a "green, intelligent and international modern port system.

From Wuhan Port in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, to Jingjiang Port in the lower reaches, and then to Sichuan Port Group in the upper reaches, Hengfeng Bank's financial services follow the river water veins and are accurately implemented in different port scenarios, using diverse measures of "chain", "carbon" search, and "loan" to write a new chapter of the prosperity and coexistence of finance and port economy.

(The picture shows the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Port loading and unloading goods)

"Chain" connects to Hubei-Hong Kong Connect: Digital Financial Drip Irrigation Port Supply Chain

On the dock of Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Port, crane arms are swinging up and down, and container loading and unloading operations are busy and orderly - this vibrant picture is a microcosm of the booming economic development of ports in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Recently, Hengfeng Bank Wuhan Branch relied on the "port finance" collaboration model and reached in-depth cooperation with Hubei Port Group's "Hubei Port Connect" platform. Through the "Hengyin E-chain" digital supply chain product, it quickly distributed financing to upstream suppliers of Changjiang Guotou Supply Chain Management (Hubei) Co., Ltd., allowing financial vitality to accurately drip to the end of the supply chain.

As the "main force" of port shipping in Hubei Province, Hubei Port Group has deeply integrated into the "Belt and Road" and the Yangtze River Economic Belt strategy: the China-Europe (Wuhan) train "enters westward into Europe", and the "Wuhan-Japan-South Korea" direct river and sea route "entered eastward to sea", building a two-way open logistics pattern. In recent years, the group has actively cultivated new quality productivity of ports and shipping, established a port capital company, built a "Hubei-Hong Kong Connect" platform, and explored a dual-wheel drive model of "port finance", which coincides with Hengfeng Bank's concept of serving the real economy.

"In the past, upstream suppliers often affected stocking due to slow capital turnover. Now, through the 'Hengyin E-chain', the financing process has been much faster." A supplier representative admitted. This cooperation not only alleviates the financing pressure of small and medium-sized enterprises, but also optimizes the industrial chain ecology of Hubei Port Group. After the efficiency of capital flow has been improved, the efficiency of inland waterway shipping in ports has been further released, the expansion of river-sea intermodal transport business has accelerated, and a high-quality ecological financial circle covering "port-enterprise-finance" is gradually taking shape.

(The picture shows the real scene of the construction of Jingjiang Port Group Port Area)

"Carbon" seeks new navigation beacons: Green credit empowers smart port upgrade

In Jingjiang Port in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, shore power facilities are quietly operating and intelligent loading and unloading equipment is operating efficiently. The former "traditional wharf" has become a benchmark for "low-carbon ports". Behind this change, Hengfeng Bank’s precise empowerment of green finance is inseparable.

The port is the "hub node" of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and its upgrading and transformation are related to the overall regional development. In order to accurately match the needs of port economics, Hengfeng Bank Headquarters took the lead in establishing the "Leading Group for Serving Port Economic Promotion" to build a working mechanism of "General Branch Collaboration, Front, Middle and Backstage Linkage", breaking down departmental barriers, and promptly solving the pain points of port enterprises in financing and settlement. At the same time, relying on the institutional layout advantages of the southeast coast, the Yangtze River Delta, and the central and western riverside economic belts, Hengfeng Bank has deeply explored the differentiated needs of ports in different regions, and formed a special service model of public-private collaboration and investment-loan linkage, helping enterprises expand financing channels and reduce financing costs.

Faced with the dual demands of Jingjiang Port's "surge in throughput" and "environmental protection upgrade", Hengfeng Bank Nanjing Branch took the initiative to connect with Jingjiang Port Group and tailored financial solutions for it: by issuing a domestic letter of credit, it specifically supports the upgrade of port shore power system and the application of energy-saving and emission reduction technologies, it has improved the utilization rate of port shoreline resources and became a benchmark for "low-carbon port" in the Yangtze River Economic Belt; in response to the funding bottlenecks in the construction of smart ports, it provides credit financing to support the transformation of smart terminals and the update of loading and unloading equipment, improving the port's cargo throughput capacity and operating efficiency.

"Loan" drives the first port of the Yangtze River: Innovative financing activates the upstream hub momentum

The line of sight extends upstream, and the Sichuan Port Group is ushering in a critical period of integration and upgrading. In May this year, Sichuan Port Investment Port Group Co., Ltd. was officially unveiled, integrating the resources of five major ports including Luzhou Port, Yibin Port, and Leshan Port, controlling more than 99% of the container throughput capacity in Sichuan Province, and also having the only dedicated railway line for ports entering the port and designated port for water transport and grain inbound in Sichuan - the establishment of this provincial strategic platform has pressed the "accelerator" for the economic development of ports in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

After learning about the company's needs, Hengfeng Bank Chengdu Branch acted quickly, followed the head office's strategic deployment, formed a special service team, and conducted in-depth research on the company's operating model and funding needs. Taking into account the operating capital needs of the new group when it was first established, Hengfeng Bank innovated the design of financing plans for replacement loans and shareholder loans, and quickly completed the issuance of 100 million yuan of working capital loans, timely alleviating the financial pressure of the company. This cooperation not only accumulates "sample experience" for Hengfeng Bank to serve the port economy in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, but also promotes the accelerated integration of the Sichuan port group into the national water transport network, injecting new impetus into the "coordinated development of the upper, middle and lower reaches" of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Hong Kong connects all the seas, and the mainland connects all directions. Standing at a new starting point, Hengfeng Bank will continue to focus on the port economy and deepen the innovation of "green, intelligent, and international" financial services - not only provide "funding and ammunition" for new infrastructure of ports, but also build a "financing bridge" for supply chain companies; it will not only help the "low-carbon transformation" of traditional ports, but also empower the "digital upgrade" of smart ports. In the future, as the financial vitality continues to swell, the port groups in the Yangtze River Economic Belt will surely be more vibrant and become the "golden artery" that promotes China's high-quality economic development.