On August 25, Hubei Port Group Co., Ltd. (Hubei Port Group) launched the first direct shipping route from Jingzhou, Hubei Province, to South Korea and Japan, marking a significant breakthrough for inland ports along the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
The vessel Huahang Hanya No.1 departed from Jingzhou's Yanka Port Area carrying fine chemicals, home appliances, food, and ceramic products to Busan in South Korea and Moji, Osaka and Nagoya in Japan. The launch also marked the first international container vessel sailed upstream past Chenglingji Port in Yueyang, Central China’s Hunan Province.
The new service reduces shipping time by seven days and cuts logistics costs by 40 percent. Direct calls eliminate transshipment, enhance customs clearance efficiency, and lower risks of cargo damage and port congestion, offering a more stable supply chain for exporters. This efficient and green channel will further strengthen the international competitiveness of “Made in Jingzhou” products.
The Yanka Port Area, the core area of Jingzhou Port, covers 687,000 square meters with a shoreline of 1,000 meters and a water depth of over seven meters, enabling 10,000-ton river-sea vessels to dock. It has an annual handling capacity of seven million tons and 200,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units, serving as a key hub for water-rail-road intermodal transport in the middle and upper Yangtze.
In May this year, China’s Ministry of Transport approved temporary entry and exit of international vessels at the Yanka terminal for six months, filling the gap left by Jingzhou’s lack of a national open port. This created a new pathway for local enterprises to expand into global markets.
In recent years, Jingzhou Port Group, under the coordination of Hubei Port Group, has enhanced its hub functions and opening-up level, supporting the city’s development as a national logistics hub. In 2022, Jingzhou launched a China-Europe freight train service, opening land trade corridors to Europe and Central Asia. The new South Korea/Japan route now connects the city to East Asian maritime trade networks.
Jingzhou Port Group said it will operate the new service on a regular basis, enabling the city to enhance its opening-up and boost the open economy of the Jianghan Plain.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
