Wuhan to launch first international container shipping route

Wuhan, capital of central Hubei province, is set to launch a direct shipping route for container vessels linking the city with Japan, according to the Changjiang Daily.

One of the vessels on the new run is Hanya 2 which has a total length of 125 meters, a width of 20.8 m, a depth of 10.2 m and a draft of 6.2 m.

Officials said it also has a load capacity of 7,900 tons, a maximum load of 9,500 tons, a carrying capacity of 560 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), as well as a design speed of 13.7 knots.

It can sail in the non-restricted water areas and in inland river A and B-class navigation areas.

Wuhan Xingang Datong International Shipping Co, a subsidiary of the Central China Logistics Corporation, signed a cooperation agreement with Ben Line Agencies (Japan) Ltd earlier in August to jointly operate the direct shipping lines to Japan.

On June 12 this year, Wuhan's first 500 TEU container ship to Japan, named Central China Logistics Hanya 1, set sail on its maiden voyage. On Sept 29, the ship was delivered to Wuhan Xingang Datong International Shipping Co and has arrived at its anchorage near Wuhan Port to stand ready to start operations.

The second 500-ton container ship Hanya 2 was launched on Aug 8. After the launch, the systems equipment commissioning, phase-bearing tests and other areas were completed -- and sea trials were carried out on Nov 5.

According to officials at Central China Logistics Corporation, to date all the licenses for Central China Logistics Hanya 1 have been completed. After the delivery of Hanya 2, the relevant licenses will be handled quickly and the two ships will be put into operation as soon as possible.

Officials said plans are to open the direct shipping route to Japan at the end of November. The shipping route will run once a week.

They said the two ships will be on duty by turns and the number of runs will be increased as circumstances require.

The shipping route will be the first direct route of the upper Yangtze inland river section off Nanjing and the first international waterway route in Wuhan.