A FULLY loaded cargo ship bound for Brazil departed from Guangzhou Port in southern China’s Guangdong Province on Monday, marking the launch of the port’s first regular direct shipping route to the South American country.

It’s the fifth maritime route to a BRICS country that Guangzhou Port has opened this year.

The ship was loaded with 592 20-foot equivalent units of goods, including passenger vehicles, construction machinery and electrical equipment. Its final destination is the Port of Santos, Brazil’s largest port.

The new direct shipping route cuts the transit time to Brazil by at least five days compared with previous routes, and is expected to lower logistics costs for import and export enterprises, according to Guangzhou Port.

At least eight multi-purpose vessels will be deployed on the route, operating once every two weeks initially to ensure stability and providing direct shipping services for both imports and exports, according to COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co., which operates the route.

The ships are equipped with sockets for refrigerated containers, enabling the safe transport of high-quality cold chain products such as fruit and meat from South America to Guangzhou, the company said. (Xinhua)