An aerial shot of the Panama-flagged vessel KAWA LIFT. [Photo provided by Jiaxing Maritime Safety Administration]

Jiaxing Port in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, launched its first Mediterranean container route on June 21, as the Panama-flagged vessel KAWA LIFT departed from Zhapu port area in Jiaxing, carrying 400 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of polyester yarn products.

Bound for Jeddah Port of Saudi Arabia, the 6,400-nautical-mile journey marks Jiaxing's ninth international shipping route — and its first beyond Asia — connecting northern Zhejiang manufacturers directly to the Mediterranean.

Previously, exports to the Middle East relied heavily on domestic feeder lines and transshipment, resulting in high costs and long transit times. The new route reduces logistics costs by approximately $100 per 40-foot container and shortens delivery by one to two days. In 2025 alone, Jiaxing municipal administration of maritime safety has supported 1,177 international ship calls, including 312 container liners, and offered 275 scheduled port services — saving carriers an estimated 13.75 million yuan ($1.91 million).

Representatives of Jiaxing municipal administration of maritime safety said the new service will unlock more export opportunities and strengthen supply chain resilience across the Yangtze River Delta region.

With routes now covering Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean, Jiaxing Port's annual container throughput has exceeded 3 million TEUs.