Qingdao Port has further strengthened its container links with Australia following the launch of a new weekly service connecting northern and eastern China with the country’s east coast.

On 5 August, the containership Colombo completed the loading of 1,249 TEU at the Qianwan United Container Terminal of Shandong Port Qingdao Port. The cargo included aluminium coils, canned fruit, glass products and tyres.

The vessel then departed for Melbourne and Sydney as part of the newly launched weekly Australia East Coast service.

It is the second new Australia-related container service introduced at Qingdao Port this year, further increasing direct sailing frequency between northern and eastern China and Australia.

COSCO, OOCL and ANL behind the new service

While Qingdao Port’s announcement did not identify the participating carriers, the vessel deployment, port rotation and earlier carrier announcements confirm that the new service is jointly offered by COSCO SHIPPING Lines, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) and ANL, part of the CMA CGM Group.

ANL announced in June that it was launching the China Australia Express (ACX) together with COSCO SHIPPING Lines and OOCL as an additional service under the A3 cooperation network.

The weekly rotation is:

Qingdao – Shanghai – Shekou – Melbourne – Sydney – Qingdao

ANL also identified Colombo as the vessel operating the inaugural sailing.

OOCL markets the same loop as the China Australia Express Loop (A3X). According to the carrier, the addition of A3X expands the existing A3 Asia–Australia network and lifts service frequency between Northeast Asia and Australia’s east coast.

Although the carriers use slightly different service names, ACX and A3X refer to the same new loop operated within the A3 cooperation framework.

Qingdao to Melbourne in around 21 days

The service is designed as a weekly round voyage linking three major Chinese container gateways — Qingdao, Shanghai and Shekou — with Melbourne and Sydney, two of Australia’s largest container ports.

According to Qingdao Port, transit time from Qingdao to Melbourne is approximately 21 days, while the voyage to Sydney takes around 24 days.

On the northbound leg, transit time from Sydney to Qingdao is about 15 days, while the Melbourne–Qingdao journey is around 19 days.

The new loop gives exporters in Shandong and the wider northern China hinterland another direct option for accessing Australia’s major east coast consumer and logistics markets, while reducing reliance on transhipment for certain cargo flows.

For Australian exporters, the service also provides additional direct capacity into Qingdao and the broader northern China market.

The cargo loaded on Colombo during the inaugural Qingdao call — including aluminium coils, canned food, glass and tyres — also illustrates the relatively diverse cargo base that the service is expected to support.

A3 network expands Australia coverage

The launch represents another expansion of the A3 partners’ China–Australia network.

According to ANL, the addition of ACX increases the frequency of the A3 network across Northeast Asia and Australia. Qingdao and Shekou will each receive two A3-related calls per week, while Shanghai will have three weekly calls, providing shippers with a wider range of sailing and capacity options.

OOCL has similarly said the A3X service will add both frequency and capacity between Northeast Asia and Australia’s east coast while improving routing flexibility for customers shipping through different Chinese gateways.

For Qingdao, the new weekly service further strengthens its role as a key northern China gateway for Australia-related trade.

The structure of the service also reflects a broader trend in regional liner shipping, with carriers sharing capacity and coordinating networks to increase sailing frequency and port coverage while improving vessel utilisation.

Qingdao Port has opened 16 container services this year

The new Australia East Coast loop forms part of a wider expansion of Qingdao Port’s international container network.

So far this year, Qingdao Port has launched 16 new container services, taking its total number of container routes to nearly 240, the highest among ports in northern China.

The port now connects with more than 700 ports in over 180 countries and regions.

Cargo volumes have also continued to grow.

In the first half of 2026, Qingdao Port handled 382 million tonnes of cargo, up 3.3% year on year, while container throughput reached 17.56 million TEU, an increase of 7.2%.

With COSCO SHIPPING Lines, OOCL and ANL adding another weekly Australia East Coast product, Qingdao’s direct connectivity with Melbourne and Sydney has become denser.

For exporters across Shandong and northern China, the approximately 21-day Qingdao–Melbourne and 24-day Qingdao–Sydney transit times add another scheduled option for products including machinery, automotive components, tyres, metal products and food cargoes.

The latest service also underlines Qingdao’s growing importance in carrier network planning, supported by its large northern China cargo base, terminal efficiency and increasingly extensive international liner network.