Ports

Nanjing Port Launches First Direct Deep-Sea Service to North Africa

Nanjing port has expanded its deep-sea ambitions with the launch of a direct container service to North Africa operated by Cosco Shipping Lines. The newly built general cargo vessel Guo Fu Hai is a 79,800 dwt ship with capacity for 2,970 twenty-foot equivalent units. It loaded over half its capacity at Nanjing's Longtan Container Terminal on Friday during its maiden voyage. The service represents a significant milestone for the inland port, which has historically relied on roughly 20 intra-Asia container routes. The vessel will transit through Ningbo and Hong Kong before reaching Port Said, Egypt and Benghazi, Libya in approximately 20 days. The departure marks Nanjing's evolution from a transhipment hub serving Shanghai and Ningbo toward an independent deep-sea gateway. The port achieved 4 million teu in container volumes during 2025, following earlier breakthroughs including westbound services to Russia and Europe via the Northern Sea Route.