The Colombo completed loading operations at Qingdao Port's Qianwan Container Terminal in Shandong province on Aug 5, carrying 1,249 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of aluminum coils, canned fruit, glass, and tires bound for Melbourne and Sydney.

The ship will operate on a newly launched weekly service on Australia's East Coast service, marking the port's second new route to the country this year and further densifying the direct shipping network between northern and eastern China and Australia.

As a key international shipping hub in Northeast Asia, Qingdao Port has been keenly responding to market demand by accelerating the expansion of its route network to Oceania. The newly launched route operates as a two-way loop, with the port rotation being Qingdao–Shanghai–Shekou–Melbourne–Sydney–Qingdao, enabling fast connections between major Chinese ports and key Australian hubs.

Qingdao Port has launched 16 new container routes this year, bringing the total to nearly 240 — the highest among ports in northern China. It now connects to more than 700 ports in over 180 countries and regions.

With its strong hub capacity, efficient operations, and extensive hinterland reach, Qingdao Port has become a preferred choice for global shipping lines to expand their capacity in China. The port's business continues to grow steadily.

According to the latest data from China's Ministry of Transport, in the first half of this year Qingdao Port handled 382 million metric tons of cargo, up 3.3 percent year-on-year, and 17.56 million TEUs of containers, up 7.2 percent. Both cargo and container throughput growth rates exceeded the national average. 

Qingdao Port launches its second Australia route this year, with the Colombo carrying 1,249 TEUs of cargo to Melbourne and Sydney. [Photo/Guanhai News]