New container route launched between Incheon Port and Rizhao Port in Shandong Province, China

Incheon Port Authority (IPA) announced on the 11th that a new container liner route connecting Incheon Port and Rizhao Port, Shandong Province, China, has launched its first service.

The newly opened RIX (Rizhao Incheon Express) route directly connects Rizhao Port and Incheon New Port Sunkwang Container Terminal (SNCT).

Shandong Ocean Shipping Group (SMC) plans to operate one 1,000 TEU (1 TEU is one 20-foot container) container ship twice a week.

Rizhao Port, with its developed steel, petrochemical, and paper industries, is the 6th largest port in China, with a cargo handling volume of 580 million tons last year.

IPA expected that the opening of this route would reduce logistics costs between the metropolitan area and the southern region of Shandong Province, creating a new cargo volume of 120,000 TEU per year.

Incheon Port also operates container routes between Qingdao, Weihai, Yantai, and Shidao Ports, which are major ports in the Shandong Province.

The container traffic volume between Incheon Port and Shandong Port is approximately 780,000 TEU, which is 35% of the cargo volume to China (2.2 million TEU).

An IPA official said, “The addition of the Rizhao route will be a great help in increasing cargo volume,” and added, “We will strive to attract cargo and improve services on the new route.”