China's first ship capable of navigating both seas and rivers leaves Zhoushan, Zhejiang province on April 5. [Photo by Wu Linhong/Xinhua]

China's first 20,000-ton ship, capable of transporting goods on both seas and rivers, made its maiden voyage from Zhoushan, an island city in Zhejiang province, to Ma'anshan, Anhui province on April 10.

The ship, with 20,000 tons of iron ore, departed from the Shulanghu transfer terminal at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port on April 5 and arrived in Ma'anshan after a five-day journey. The successful trip marked the beginning of a new era for China's ocean-river combined transport.

Zhoushan, located at the intersection of Yangtze River waterways and the East China Sea, plays a significant role in water transportation. Building vessels capable of sailing in both seas and rivers was the city's first priority in promoting its shipping industry.

Experts said there were significant differences between seafaring and river ships. If a seafaring ship is to navigate a river, technological obstacles need to be overcome.

Approximately 60 million yuan ($8.72 million) were invested in the construction of the first sea-river ship, which began its testing phase in Zhoushan last December.

The new ship is both convenient and efficient, and serves as a model for how to overcome the technological obstacles that hinder seafaring ships from being used in rivers. It is an important development in sea-river combined transport in Zhoushan.

The new ship berths at a wharf in Ma'anshan, Anhui province on April 10. [Photo by Wu Linhong/Xinhua]