Qingdao Port announced on April 1 that it has launched seven new international container shipping routes during the first quarter of this year. These routes cover regions including Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central and South America, and are expected to significantly ease booking pressures for import and export enterprises, reduce logistics costs, and enhance the resilience of cross-border supply chains. On March 29, the COSCO Shipping North Africa route commenced its maiden voyage from Qingdao Port.

Among the new routes, the North Africa route will directly support production capacity cooperation and infrastructure development between China and countries such as Egypt and Libya. The Central and South America route will assist Chinese companies in deepening their presence in Latin American markets, while the Southeast Asia route will further strengthen logistics connectivity between China and Southeast Asia, promoting the smooth integration of regional industrial and supply chains.

The new routes have been quickly transformed into efficient logistics channels that ensure the stability of industrial and supply chains. Their frequent launch has optimized Qingdao Port's global shipping network layout, according to Ban Zhengqi, planning supervisor of the operations department at Qingdao Qianwan United Container Terminal Co., Ltd.

Qingdao Port is the largest foreign trade port in northern China. Currently, the port operates nearly 240 international shipping routes and maintains connections with over 700 ports across more than 180 countries and regions. Its network covers countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, regions under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and emerging markets.