Khorfakkan Port in Sharjah received a shipment of 6,068 BYD vehicles on Thursday, August 27, the largest single vehicle consignment ever handled by the port. The delivery also marked the launch of a new direct vehicle shipping route between China and the UAE.

The vehicles were transported aboard a large roll-on/roll-off vessel from Xiaomo International Logistics Port in Shenzhen, China, to Khorfakkan. The ship departed Shenzhen on August 4, and its arrival in the UAE officially launched operations on the direct maritime route between Xiaomo and Khorfakkan.

BYD, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electric and new-energy vehicles, used the BYD Changsha to transport the shipment. The consignment also set a record upon leaving China, becoming the largest single vehicle export shipment handled by Xiaomo Port since it began operations.

According to information released in China, 3,725 of the 6,068 vehicles were Fangchengbao Titanium 7 models manufactured at BYD’s plant in the Shenshan area. The shipment also marked the model’s first large-scale export.

The significance of the shipment extends beyond the number of vehicles involved. The new maritime route between Shenzhen and Khorfakkan is expected to reduce transit times for vehicles and large equipment from China to the UAE and other Middle Eastern markets by around three to five days. Khorfakkan’s location on the Gulf of Oman, outside the Strait of Hormuz, has also made the port a key gateway for goods entering the region.

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Following the vessel’s arrival, the Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority, in cooperation with Gulftainer, operator of Khorfakkan Commercial Terminal, unloaded and prepared the vehicles for onward transport.

Published figures show that Khorfakkan Commercial Terminal handled a total of 24,675 vehicles through August this year. The port’s average vehicle unloading rate stood at 141 units per hour, peaking at a record 197 vehicles per hour. Its “discharge and move” system also enables vehicles to complete clearance procedures and leave the port within a maximum of 96 hours.

The direct route was launched as Chinese carmakers, particularly BYD, expand their presence in Middle Eastern markets, while UAE ports have become key regional gateways for the import and distribution of Chinese-made vehicles. The arrival of more than 6,000 vehicles in a single shipment not only set a new record for Khorfakkan but also highlighted the growing scale of automotive trade between China and the UAE.