Cargo throughput at the Mandula border port in Inner Mongolia has surged this year, driven by the launch of an automated guided vehicle (AGV) system that has accelerated coal imports from Mongolia.

From January to July, the port handled 9.11 million tonnes of imports and exports, up 202.6% year on year, according to the Baotou transportation bureau. AGV vehicles transported approximately 136,000 tonnes of imported coal during the period.

The port's AGV driverless cross-border transport system began operations in February, with an initial fleet of 10 vehicles supported by a 2.4-km dedicated lane and intelligent inspection facilities. The system has an annual clearance capacity of 2 million tonnes.

The AGV system operates continuously for 12 hours daily, overcoming the limitations of traditional manned driving and improving supply chain stability for bulk commodities. A single one-way trip from loading in Mongolia to arrival at Chinese customs takes about 25 minutes, nearly 60% faster than conventional truck transport.

In June, the Inner Mongolia transportation department issued an implementation plan promoting AGV cross-border transport and new-energy driverless heavy trucks, alongside smart logistics platform development.

The Mandula port, located at the China-Mongolia border in Darhan Muminggan United Banner, is the only year-round open land port in the Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos region. It primarily imports coal, iron ore and fluorite, while exporting heavy trucks, mining equipment and complete machinery.

The port's annual throughput first exceeded 8 million tonnes in 2024. As of August 17 this year, cumulative cargo volume had surpassed 10 million tonnes, up 209.8% year on year.