IT was a crisp Friday morning when the Container Terminal Wilh e l m s h a v e n ( C T W ) buzzed with activity as the first container ship of the “China-Europe Express” arrived at the port.
Containers emblazoned with the logo of the fastest direct route connecting Europe and China’s Yangtze River Delta region were lifted by cranes as vehicles zipped across the terminal moving the containers to their designated spots.
The bustling scene after the arrival of KAWA NINGBO, the inaugural vessel of this groundbreaking shipping route, marked not only a milestone of the maritime logistics but also a commitment to strengthening China-Europe ties.
What makes the route stand out is the remarkably reduced travel time between Ningbo, a bustling port city in China’s Zhejiang Province, and Wilhelmshaven, Germany’s only deep-water port.
Unlike traditional shipping routes, the “China-Europe Express” is a direct maritime route providing “point-topoint” service without intermediate stops, reducing the shipment time of 45 days in the past to just 26 days.
For industries like automotive, lithium batteries, and solar energy, where time-sensitive, high-value goods are the norm, this efficiency can be a game-changer. “The world is becoming increasingly interconnected, and supply chain reliability is more critical than ever,” said Frank Doods, state secretary in the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economics, Transport, Construction, and Digitization, during a ceremony celebrating the route’s operation.
— Xinhua
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