An aerial view of the Jintang port area. [Photo/Tide News] 

The berthing of container ship MSC Doreen V on Sept 28 at Yongzhou Container Terminal in Jintang port area of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, East China's Zhejiang province, marked the launch of a new route to Belt and Road Initiative countries.

The service links to West African countries, such as the Republic of the Congo and Nigeria, bringing the total number of international routes at the Jintang port area to 45.

The route is operated weekly by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). Vessels depart from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, head south along the domestic coast, call at Nansha Port in Guangzhou, and then sail abroad. On this voyage, 2,495 containers were loaded at Jintang, with exports mainly consisting of food and electromechanical products from Yiwu and Shaoxing.

The Yongzhou Container Terminal now connects with more than 60 ports across Russia, West Africa, East Africa, and the Red Sea. The new service is expected to add approximately 20,000 containers of throughput per month, while providing greater schedule flexibility and enhancing the terminal's competitiveness in the global market.

To support the new route, Zhoushan Customs has introduced measures such as advance declarations, appointment-based clearance, and automated inspection systems. These measures enable ships to experience zero waiting time and receive immediate clearance for their goods.

From January to August, Jintang Port handled 2.439 million containers, a 49.4 percent increase year-over-year, setting a record high for the period.