Ningbo Zhoushan Port opens its first new foreign trade route this year

Ningbo Customs officers supervised the docking of the "Mediterranean Jessinia" ship at the Chuanshan Port area of Zhoushan Port in Ningbo on site. Wu Mengkai/Photo by

Author: Xia Entropy, Wu Mengkai, He Yixing
　　   
On the afternoon of January 8th, as the first Australian cargo ship "Mediterranean Jessinia" slowly docked at the Chuanshan Port Area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, Ningbo Zhoushan Port successfully opened the first new foreign trade route of 2026- KANGAROO route. This route is opened by Mediterranean Shipping Company, directly connecting Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo and the two major hub ports of Brisbane and Sydney in Australia, providing a new logistics channel for domestic enterprises to expand into the Oceania market.
It is reported that the first cargo ship loaded 2000 TEUs of goods in Ningbo, including electronic products, chemical products, daily necessities, etc. It set sail on January 9th and arrived directly at Brisbane Port in Australia 14 days later. The new route is expected to deploy 7 international vessels with a capacity of 4000 TEUs, operating on a weekly basis to better meet the needs of customers in Ningbo and surrounding markets, "said Zhang Guanghao, Deputy Manager of the Field Department of China Ningbo Ocean Shipping Agency Co., Ltd.
Australia, as one of the top ten trading partners of Ningbo Port, has always been a highly valued overseas market for domestic enterprises. Traditional air routes often face the problem of "ships arriving at ports, business opportunities passing" during the peak export season due to the large number of ports of call and long voyage along the way. The opening of this direct route will significantly improve transportation efficiency, accurately connect with the Spring Festival stocking peak, and help seasonal goods seize the market in advance. The new route will help companies in the daily necessities, electronics, chemical, and construction industries to establish a foothold and gain opportunities in the Australian market, "said Bian Kebiao, head of the Ship Management Department at the Beilun Customs Office in Chuanshan, Ningbo Customs.
To ensure the smooth operation of the first air route in 2026, Ningbo Customs relies on the construction of smart customs, actively connects with shipping companies and terminals, determines the port of call, operation mode and other information, and provides convenience for enterprises in cargo clearance, ship declaration and other aspects. After the docking of the "Mediterranean Jessinia" ship, Ningbo Customs officers immediately boarded the ship to complete health supervision, personnel quarantine and other work, significantly reducing the waiting time before ship operations and lowering clearance costs. While providing policy consultation on customs clearance, logistics, and other aspects for enterprises, we also continuously optimize the ship supervision mode, realizing paperless handling of the entire process of ship declaration, manifest transmission, and empty container declaration, ensuring smooth logistics throughout the entire process of ships from berthing, in port to departure, "said the relevant person in charge of Daxie Customs under Ningbo Customs.
The opening of new routes has further densified the global shipping network of ports and improved their accessibility. At present, the total number of Ningbo Zhoushan Port air routes has exceeded 300, connecting more than 700 ports in over 200 countries and regions around the world, and the port connectivity index ranks second in the world. Next, Ningbo Customs will continue to promote the construction of a smart customs and the "Smart Customs Strong Country" initiative, assisting Ningbo Zhoushan Port in building a world-class port and enhancing regional openness.