In the west of Longfeng Street in Haizhu, there are two special warehouses, Former Butterfield & Swire Godowns & Wharves and the Osaka Warehouse.

Built in 1904, Former Butterfield & Swire Godowns & Wharves is located at 124 Renovation Road in Guangzhou's Haizhu district, situated in the back channel of the Pearl River. The entire wharf area covers an area of about 71,000 square meters, with a wharf shoreline of 312 meters, consisting of three T-shaped wharves, seven warehouses, as well as the rear grounds and buildings.

Former Butterfield & Swire Godowns & Wharves. [Photo/WeChat account: gzhzfb]

The wharf of Former Butterfield & Swire Godowns & Wharves was built by the former British merchant Swire Pacific, which operated 30 ships in East, South, and Central Asia, notably between Guangzhou and Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Haiphong in Vietnam.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the wharf was also one of the most important military docks in Guangzhou Port for the transportation of aid materials to Vietnam. In 2005, Former Butterfield & Swire Godowns & Wharves was designated as a cultural relics protection unit of Guangzhou. In 2015, it was assessed as a national 3A tourist attraction.

In March this year, the restoration project of the Former Butterfield & Swire Godowns & Wharves started. The project, which boasts an investment of 2 billion yuan ($281 million) from Guangzhou Port Group, will upgrade the 23,000 sq m of the restored area behind Former Butterfield & Swire Godowns & Wharves to create Guangzhou's first new commercial complex themed on port culture, while also integrating Lingnan culture, modern art, and international trends.

Built in 1904, the Osaka Warehouse was transferred to the Guangzhou Port Authority for management and use on Nov 1, 1952. After the transfer, the Osaka Warehouse was mainly used for grain storage, domestic trade goods storage, and the berthing of passenger ships.

Osaka Warehouse. [Photo/WeChat account: gzhzfb]

There are four warehouses and one villa preserved in the Osaka Warehouse. Each warehouse boasts a reinforced concrete structure with ample space, with a triangular steel roof frame structure commonly used in warehouse buildings at that time. In 2008, Osaka Warehouse has been designated a cultural relics protection unit in Guangzhou.