A new dedicated container shipping route connecting Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province with the Middle East officially commenced operations on Tuesday, China Media Group (CMG) reported. The new service fills the gap in direct shipping links from Dalian Port to the Middle East and will also enhance direct shipping services from Northeast China to India and Pakistan, according to the report.

The "Dalian-Middle East" container liner service is a collaboration between Liaoning Port Group Co and the world's largest container shipping company, Mediterranean Shipping Co. The operators plan to deploy eight container vessels with capacities ranging from 20,000 to 24,000 20-foot equivalent units, offering direct service to major ports in India, Pakistan, as well as the UAE and Oman, and other Middle Eastern countries. The transit time will be at least 10 days shorter than traditional transshipment routes, significantly reducing overall logistics costs for international trade.

The launch of this route will also provide a more convenient and efficient maritime logistics corridor for exports of grain, chemical products, mechanical and electrical equipment, auto parts, and other products from Northeast China's hinterland.

It is expected to facilitate trade and economic exchanges between Northeast China and the Middle East as well as India and Pakistan, injecting new momentum into the outward-oriented economic development of Northeast China.

The launch of this new route serves as a boost for Northeast China's economy, moving it from a focus on domestic circulation toward deeper external connectivity. Cutting the voyage time by more than 10 days greatly enhances the price competitiveness of local products. Meanwhile, Dalian is being further strengthened as an international shipping hub. The regional hinterland is evolving into a major trade gateway, creating solid logistics support to draw export-oriented industries, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Dalian Port handles more than 96 percent of export container throughput in Northeast China. It now operates more than 100 outbound routes connecting Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Europe, according to another report from CMG.