South Korea’s Jeju Port has marked a significant milestone by receiving its first dedicated containership in 57 years, following the launch of a new direct route from China.
The service, approved by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in late July and operationalised in October 2025, links China’s Qingdao port to Jeju on a weekly basis. The inaugural vessel departed Qingdao on 16 October and arrived at Jeju on 18 October.
The vessel in question is the 712-TEU containership SMC Rizhao (8,800 dwt, built in 2023, 118 m in length) and is equipped with 109 reefer plugs, facilitating exports such as frozen fish.
According to officials, the new direct route cuts logistics time by approximately two days compared to the prior model of trans-shipment via major Korean mainland ports, and reduces costs by up to 62 %.
The port arrival was loaded with 40 containers of Chinese imports including furniture and electronics, and plans to export about 10 containers of processed seafood to China. Local authorities also expect to expand exports of bottled water, cosmetics and manufacturing-linked goods.
Jeju, designated a trading port in 1968, until now accommodated mainly fishing vessels, small cargo ships and cruise calls; containers had to be trans-shipped from mainland hubs.
