Shandong Port has opened seven international container routes and one sea-rail intermodal train.

The centralized opening ceremony of "seven lines and one column" of containers of Shandong Port Group (referred to as "Shandong Port") was held in Qingdao on August 8th. At the ceremony, five "the belt and road initiative" and "Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement" (RCEP for short) routes from Shandong to Southeast Asia and two ocean-going trunk lines between North and South America were officially opened. At the same time, the "Qingdao Port of Shandong Port-Suifenhe" container sea-rail intermodal train was officially opened on the same day. This move by Shandong Port has given full play to the role of hub platform and the advantage of cluster density of advantageous routes, comprehensively expanded the layout of international container routes in Shandong Port, and strongly ensured the smooth and stable supply chain of the global industrial chain. 

According to reports, the five direct routes to Southeast Asia and other "the belt and road initiative" and RCEP routes are CMA/Taiping/Honghai-Taiyue Line, mediterranean shipping company-Southeast Line, Haifeng Container Line, Zhonggu Shipping-Southeast Line and Changjin/Xingya Far East Line. New routes will focus on serving RCEP member countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, etc., and build a low-cost and high-efficiency sea logistics channel connecting the imported fruits, chilled fruits and other cold chain living materials in Southeast Asia with Shandong port.

In addition, Shandong Port has opened two North-South American ocean-going trunk lines, Taiping/Wanhai/Yangming and Zhonglian Shipping, to continuously transport FMCG products, chemicals, mechanical and electrical products and other traditional export goods to American countries, thus accelerating the transformation and upgrading of Shandong Port from a "means of production port" to a "means of production and living port".

 Sui Qing, general manager of Shanghai Zhonggu Logistics Co., Ltd. Shandong area, said that Zhonggu Shipping Southeast Asia Line runs once a week, with three fixed trains. Qingdao is the starting port, and it goes directly to Kelley Port, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, and Linchaban Port, Thailand. The arrival time is 6 days and 8 days respectively, which is at least two days earlier than other routes in the market. 

"The three routes opened by Qingdao Port of Shandong Port Group to Linchaban Port of Thailand are equivalent to greatly increasing commodity transportation channels on the basis of the original routes. The total increase of nearly 5,000 TEUs will undoubtedly increase the density and quantity of direct import and export between Shandong and Thailand." Wang Yujun, Consul General of the Consulate General of Thailand in Qingdao, said that it is estimated that after the opening of the new route, the import and export volume between Thailand and Shandong will increase by 11% in the first half of this year. 

At present, Shandong port has opened more than 320 routes, 80 trains and 30 inland ports. In 2021, the cargo throughput of Shandong Port exceeded 1.5 billion tons, and the container volume exceeded 34 million TEUs, up by 6.1% and 8.3% respectively, ranking first and third in the world.