New container shipping route connects Dalian with the Mediterranean

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 18, 2025 shows the MSC SVEVA vessel docking at the container terminal of Dalian Port in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. The MSC SVEVA vessel departed from the Dalian Container Terminal on Tuesday, marking the official launch of a direct container shipping route linking the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian with several Mediterranean countries. (Liaoning Port Group/Handout via Xinhua)

DALIAN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The MSC SVEVA vessel departed from the Dalian Container Terminal on Tuesday, marking the official launch of a direct container shipping route linking the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian with several Mediterranean countries.

The new route connects major ports in countries such as Egypt, Türkiye and Israel, contributing to a more efficient, reliable maritime logistics corridor between China's northeastern region and the Mediterranean.

The new service is operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, which plans to deploy 16 container ships, each with a capacity of 19,000 TEUs, to provide weekly services.

The ships will transport a wide range of goods, including chemical products, automobiles and auto parts, mechanical equipment, and mineral resources.

The shipping service is expected to promote economic and trade cooperation between China's northeastern region and Mediterranean countries.

China is Türkiye's third-largest trading partner. The new route will call at major Turkish ports such as Canakkale, Istanbul and Tekirdag, deepening bilateral economic and trade exchange, as well as industrial and supply chain integration.

Jilin Flying Tiger Logistics Group Co., Ltd., an international freight forwarding agency, has loaded over 200 tonnes of cargo onto the MSC SVEVA for export to Türkiye.

The new route saves about 10 days in transit time compared to other shipping routes, said Wang Nan, vice managing director of Jilin Flying Tiger Logistics Group. The service will reduce capital costs and inventory pressure, and enhance supply chain stability, Wang added.

Dalian Port now operates 106 container shipping routes, including 93 international routes that connect over 300 ports in more than 160 countries and regions worldwide.

This year, the port will expand and improve its container shipping network to facilitate trade and bolster supply chain stability further. ■

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 18, 2025 shows the MSC SVEVA vessel docking at the container terminal of Dalian Port in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The MSC SVEVA vessel departed from the Dalian Container Terminal on Tuesday, marking the official launch of a direct container shipping route linking the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian with several Mediterranean countries. (Liaoning Port Group/Handout via Xinhua)