On April 4, the vessel "Aileen" successfully berthed at the container terminal of Qianwan Port Area, marking the inaugural voyage of Maersk's newly launched Southeast Asia route at Shandong Port's Qingdao Port. This addition brings further momentum to the port's shipping network in the Southeast Asian direction. Currently, Qingdao Port has opened more than 50 Southeast Asia routes, ranking first among northern ports in China. It has established a high-frequency operational system covering major ports in ASEAN, providing solid support for the stability and efficiency of regional industrial and supply chains.

The new route operates on a regular weekly schedule, deploying six vessels with a capacity of 2,500 TEUs each. With ample space availability and stable sailing schedules, the route efficiently connects core ports in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other countries. It not only meets the import demand for specialty agricultural products and raw materials from Southeast Asia in Shandong and surrounding markets but also serves as a "maritime expressway" for accelerating exports of Chinese-made goods such as chemicals and electromechanical products, enhancing the quality and speed of two-way trade.

Over the years, China and ASEAN have grown increasingly close as major global trading partners. According to data from the General Administration of Customs, trade between China and ASEAN reached 1.24 trillion yuan in the first two months of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 20.3%. As the world's fourth-largest port and China's second-largest foreign trade port, Qingdao Port has continued to expand its Southeast Asia route network with support from port regulatory authorities such as Huangdao Customs and Qianwan Maritime Safety Administration. By leveraging its robust hub capabilities, the port has deepened integration into China-ASEAN economic and trade development, effectively reducing logistics costs for foreign trade enterprises and improving supply chain efficiency. This strengthens maritime support for high-level opening-up and the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.