A cargo vessel carrying over 1,700 TEU containers filled with lithium batteries and e-commerce goods departed from Ningbo port in east China on Monday, heading for Wilhelmshaven, Germany. This voyage signifies the inauguration of the “China-Europe express” shipping route.
The new direct route between Ningbo and Wilhelmshaven will cut transport time to 26 days, saving 12 days compared to traditional multi-stop routes, as noted by Sun Xuejun, chairman of Zhejiang Seaport Logistics Group Co., Ltd.
Once the cargo reaches Wilhelmshaven, it can be distributed via waterborne shipping to Northern Europe and Baltic Sea regions, by land to Western Europe, including countries like France and Belgium, and further extended to Central and Eastern Europe—such as Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland—within 30 days.
Ma Quanlin, a senior manager at Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL), highlighted that the express shipping route provides Chinese lithium battery manufacturers a significant advantage by reducing transport time and costs, thus strengthening supply chain efficiency.
Currently, the shipping service is scheduled to operate once a month, with the frequency expected to increase depending on future logistics demands, according to Sun Xuejun.
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