New direct ship route links Wenzhou to Southeast Asia

One last container was hoisted aboard container ship SITC Laem Chabang in the port of Wenzhou prior to the latter's departure on March 9. When it sailed off, the SITC Laem Chabang followed the first ship route linking the port of Wenzhou in eastern China with Southeast Asia.

Container ships will now sail the route once per week, docking at major ports including Ningbo, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, Manila, Laem Chabang and Shanghai. The new route offers convenient and punctual service to clients in Hangzhou, Wenzhou and Taizhou. It takes the ships five days to reach Ho Chi Minh from Wenzhou; the journey is eight days to Bangkok and nine days to Laem Chabang.

Many goods from Wenzhou are exported to Southeast Asia. According to Chinese Customs, the export value of Wenzhou commodities has increased 15.81 percent since 2015 to reach 8.9 billion RMB. However, for a long time, owing to the absence of a direct ship route, goods from Wenzhou had to be transported through other ports to reach Southeast Asia, resulting in higher costs and lower efficiency.

The new route will effectively promote cooperation between Wenzhou and Southeast Asia, increasing the international competitiveness of the hub and its surrounding cities. The route will also serve to promote the aims of the Belt and Road Initiative.