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Four Premium Routes: Connecting Asia, Europe and America

The four ships berthed this time and their respective voyages are: MSC RIFAYA (Voyage GJ551W) from the JADE Route, MSC MARIE (Voyage GL551W) from the LION Route, MSC SHINA V (Voyage KQ551A) from the PANDA Route, and MSC JASMINE X (Voyage UK549A) from the CHINOOKC Route.

These four premium routes are like four busy trade arteries, spanning major trade regions in Asia, Europe and America. They can fully meet the diverse transportation needs of customers and effectively promote the in-depth integration and efficient operation of regional industrial chains and global supply chains. 

As the world's largest container shipping company in terms of capacity, MSC has built a comprehensive route network at Qingdao Port, with 17 calling routes covering key markets such as the US East Coast, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Concentrated Berthing: A Vivid Manifestation of In-Depth Cooperation

The concentrated berthing of the four ships is not only a vivid reflection of the close cooperation between MSC and Qingdao Port but also brings more flexible and efficient transportation options to customers in the northern Chinese market, injecting new vitality into the prosperity and development of regional trade.

MSC has always attached great importance to cooperation with Qingdao Port. In 2023, during his visit to China, CEO Soren Toft specially went to Qingdao and held in-depth talks with senior leaders of Shandong Port Group. The two parties signed a comprehensive cooperation framework agreement, aiming to jointly build Shandong Port into a leading international shipping hub in Northeast Asia.

Since the signing of the agreement, MSC has taken active actions to continuously launch new routes and optimize existing ones, integrating Qingdao Port deeply into its global transportation network. The cooperation between the two parties has expanded in dimensions and increased in level. In 2025, MSC's annual container volume at Qingdao Port increased by more than 25% compared with the same period. 

On December 16th, 2025, the opening ceremony of the joint venture yard between Shandong Port and MSC was held, and MSC's container volume at Qingdao Port exceeded 3 million TEU, marking the high-quality development of their 30-year strategic cooperation.

Route Expansion: Consolidating the Strategic Position of Shipping Hub

• May 2025: MSC launched the Clanga Route connecting the Middle East and South Asia, and chose Qingdao Port for its maiden voyage. The route deploys 8 ships for weekly service, covering key hubs such as Qingdao, Singapore, and Damman, realizing a 14-day direct voyage from Qingdao to Damman and improving logistics efficiency by 22%.

• November 2025: MSC opened the Sambar Intra-Asia Route, with Qingdao Port as an important node. The route deploys 6 ships to operate a closed-loop weekly service system, covering domestic core ports such as Qingdao and international hubs in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam and Thailand, building a direct logistics channel between Northern China and Southeast Asia .

Up to now, the total number of foreign trade routes at Qingdao Port has reached nearly 240, ranking first among northern Chinese ports, connecting more than 700 ports in over 180 countries and regions around the world. It has formed an international shipping pattern of "connecting Japan and South Korea in the east, Central Asia in the west, ASEAN in the south, and Russia and Mongolia in the north" .

Rail-Sea Intermodal Transport: Linking Inland and Coastal Areas

Future Outlook: Deepening Cooperation to Build a Global Shipping Network