The 259-meter vessel Binchun completed its first voyage at Qingdao Port's automated terminal on May 20, carrying 1,643 TEUs of export goods, including aluminum coils, towels, storage boxes, and plastic tableware.

The ship is now operating on a direct route to key ports on the West Coast of the United States — Los Angeles and Oakland — marking the official opening and regular operation of this new service.

This is Qingdao Port's 13th new foreign trade route this year and its second to the US. The weekly service is led by Wan Hai Lines in partnership with Global Container Liner Shipping Company.

The direct, point-to-point route reduces transshipment, strengthening Qingdao's trans-Pacific network and providing stable space and efficient logistics for import-export businesses in the region. Weekly export volume is expected to reach around 1,600 TEUs.

The new route shows Qingdao Port's ongoing efforts to work with global shipping companies and improve its network. So far this year, Qingdao Port has added 13 foreign trade routes covering Southeast Asia, Africa, and the United States. Its total number of foreign trade routes now is nearly 240 — the highest among northern Chinese ports — connecting with more than 700 ports across over 180 countries and regions.

The Binchun vessel departs from Qingdao Port's automated terminal, carrying 1,643 TEUs of export goods bound for the US. [Photo/Guanhai News]