(Yicai) Feb. 10 -- The coastal port network of China's southeastern Zhejiang province has transitioned from the reign of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to a multi-port synergy, with the region logging record-high exports last year driven by an industrial transformation and the rapid growth of new businesses.

Cargo throughput at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port topped 1.4 billion tons last year, ranking first in the world for the 17th year in a row, according to official data. It exceeded 100 million tons at each of Zhejiang's four sea ports, driven by much shorter transit times thanks to the launch of new regular direct shipping routes. Jiaxing Port reached 144 million tons, while the Taizhou and Wenzhou ports handled 100 million tons each for the first time.

Their busyness reflect Zhejiang's foreign trade competitiveness, with its imports and exports rising 5.4 percent to CNY5.55 trillion (USD801.7 billion) in 2025 from the previous year, compared with the national average increase of 3.8 percent. The province’s exports jumped 7.2 percent to CNY4.19 trillion, exceeding CNY4 trillion for the first time, accounting for 16 percent of China's total, and ranking second only to Guangdong province.

A container vessel carrying nearly 800 twenty-foot equivalent units recently set off from Wenzhou Port for Saudi Arabia, marking the launch of the first direct trade route from Zhejiang to the Red Sea. It also opened a fast maritime channel for the province's southern area, as well as neighboring Fujian and Jiangxi provinces, to connect with markets along the coast.

The new route links the two major supply hubs of Yiwu and Wenzhou, achieving "cargo consolidation in Yiwu and departure from Wenzhou Port," Chen Huaxiao, a manager at Yiwu Qianlan Import & Export, told Yicai. In addition to Jeddah Port, Chinese-made goods will also reach other key Middle Eastern ports via this route, including Sokhna Port in Egypt and Aqaba Port in Jordan, Chen noted.

The route’s maiden vessel was loaded with daily necessities and hardware tools from Yiwu, as well as car and motorcycle parts and new energy products made by Wenzhou-based manufacturers, Chen pointed out.

The new direct route from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to Australia, which opened last month, will have seven 4,000-TEU vessels sail weekly with exports from companies in Ningbo and the surrounding area to Oceania, Zhang Guanghao, deputy manager of the field operation department at China Ocean Shipping Agency Ningbo, said to Yicai.

New direct routes can significantly improve transportation efficiency and enhance the certainty of logistics performance. Taizhou Port opened two direct routes to East Africa and West Africa at the end of last year, delivering products mainly from Yiwu's small commodity markets and cutting the about 60-day journey by more than half.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev