The “MSC Flora” vessel, with a total length of 355 meters and the largest capacity of 11,552 TEUs, departed from Qingdao Port on May 19, marking the maiden voyage of the new shipping route independently operated by MSC to connect East Asia with Middle East. This is the third “Belt and Road” shipping route opened by Qingdao Port in March. The move will further consolidate Qingdao’s role as an international shipping hub in Northeast Asia, and provide a more efficient and convenient logistics channel for global trade.

Against the backdrop of mounting uncertainty in global trade, Qingdao Port of Shandong Port Group, the second largest port for foreign trade in Northern China, takes swift actions to improve the structure of shipping routes to stay connected with emerging markets with promising prospects such as South America and Middle East. The three routes newly opened by Qingdao Port to South America, Central and South America, and Middle East cover major economies in South America, including Brazil, Argentina and Chile, and key ports in Middle East, thus injecting new impetus to the stabilization and structural improvement of foreign trade.  (Zhou Xiaofeng)