This photo shows Kawa Ningbo, the first cargo ship that will sail on the Ningbo-Wilhelmshaven direct route, docking at Ningbo Zhoushan Port in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 30, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

A cargo ship loaded with over 1,700 TEU containers of lithium batteries and e-commerce goods set sail on Monday from east China's Ningbo port for Wilhelmshaven in Germany, marking the opening of a "China-Europe express" shipping route.

The Ningbo-Wilhelmshaven direct route will reduce transport time to 26 days, saving 12 days compared to the same route with multiple stops, according to Sun Xuejun, chairman of Zhejiang Seaport Logistics Group Co., Ltd.

Upon arrival in Wilhelmshaven, goods can be distributed and transported to Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea coastal areas through waterborne shipping, to Western Europe, including France and Belgium, by land, and even further to Central and Eastern Europe, such as Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland, within 30 days.

"The launch of the express shipping route offers Chinese lithium battery companies an excellent opportunity to save on transport time and costs, thereby enhancing supply chain resilience," said Ma Quanlin, a senior manager with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL), China's leading battery maker.

The cargo shipping service is currently expected to operate once a month, with the possibility of more frequent trips based on logistics demand, Sun said.