New America route from Nansha Port now operational

The Maersk vessel Antaresdocks at the Nansha Port phase II terminal on Tuesday, marking the official opening and operation of a new route to America from the mainland. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

Under the escort of the Nansha's maritime safety administration in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, the Maersk vessel Antaresdocked at the Nansha Port phase II terminal on Tuesday, marking the official opening and operation of a new route to America from the mainland.

According to a statement released by the Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration on Wednesday, it is the second shipping route to open at the Nansha Port area in a week, playing a significant role in the construction of an international shipping hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Maersk independently operates the route in partnership with Hapag-Lloyd, said the statement.

The new shipping lane connects the Nansha Port to Vietnam's Vung Tau Port, Shenzhen's Yantian Port and Los Angeles. Eight 9,500-TEU-class container vessels will be put into operation on the route.

Authorities said the annual cargo throughput will eventually reach 500,000 TEUs, driving the growth of the regional import and export volume by more than 10 billion yuan ($1.41 billion).

To ensure the smooth opening and efficient operation of the new route, Nansha's maritime safety administration, together with port and shipping enterprises, have made meticulous scientific arrangements and proposed optimization suggestions for the route's design, which has shortened the transportation time by 15 percent and reduced the logistics cost by 20 percent, said the statement.

It has also opened a "green channel" for vessels to enter and exit the ports, improving clearance efficiency and helping GBA enterprises enhance their foreign trade competitiveness.

Additionally, the administration has built smart maritime supervision platforms to dynamically monitor vessels in and out of the ports, with a combination of "on-site cruising + electronic cruising" supervision methods to ensure the safety of maritime navigation, the statement said.

The Nansha Port Area now covers more than 150 international shipping routes, accessing major economies around the world.

The continuously optimized port business environment and the increasingly improved international collection and distribution system have provided strong support for promoting high-quality development in the region, the statement added.