On August 5, the vessel "Colombo" completed the loading of 1,249 TEUs of cargo, including aluminum coils, canned fruits, glass, and tires, at the Qianwan United Container Terminal of Shandong Port Qingdao Port. The ship is set to depart for Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, operating on the newly launched weekly East Australia service route.
This is the second new route to Australia that Qingdao Port has opened this year, further enhancing direct sailing frequencies from North China and East China to East Australia. The move strengthens the port's "southward to Australia and New Zealand" shipping network, making it more comprehensive.
A single new route reflects the resilience and vitality of China's foreign trade. Since the start of the year, China's foreign trade has maintained a stable and improving trend. As a key international shipping hub in Northeast Asia, Qingdao Port has keenly responded to market demand, accelerating the expansion of its shipping network toward Oceania.
The newly opened route operates on a two-way cyclic rotation, with a full port call sequence of Qingdao, Shanghai, Shekou, Melbourne, Sydney, and back to Qingdao. This enables rapid connectivity between core domestic ports and major Australian hubs. The voyage from Qingdao to Melbourne takes approximately 21 days, and to Sydney about 24 days. The return voyage from Sydney to Qingdao is approximately 15 days, and from Melbourne to Qingdao about 19 days, providing a competitive direct shipping option for cargo between China and Australia, with delivery times leading the market.
During the route planning phase, the Huangdao Customs Office of the Qingdao Customs District proactively coordinated with the port, shipping companies, and freight forwarders to identify the cargo types and schedule plans in advance, streamlining processes such as vessel registration and cargo manifest submission. The Qingdao Maritime Safety Administration established a green channel for vessel entry and exit approvals, simplifying documentation and reducing processing times to ensure rapid cargo handling. The Huangdao Border Inspection Station implemented convenience measures including pre-inspection, immediate inspection upon arrival, and on-the-spot processing, embedding border inspection, document processing, and personnel verification into the port's logistics operations to facilitate quick vessel berthing, inspection, loading, and departure.
As of now, Qingdao Port has opened 16 new container shipping routes this year, bringing its total to nearly 240 routes, ranking first among northern Chinese ports. The port connects to over 700 ports in more than 180 countries and regions. With its robust hub capabilities, efficient operations, and extensive hinterland coverage, it has become a preferred choice for global shipping lines looking to increase capacity in China, driving continuous business growth.
The latest data from the Ministry of Transport shows that in the first half of this year, Qingdao Port handled 382 million tonnes of cargo, up 3.3% year-on-year, and 17.56 million TEUs of containers, up 7.2% year-on-year. Both cargo and container throughput growth rates exceeded the national average for ports.