Wishing you prosperity, success, and happiness in the Year of the Snake.

May our partnership continue to thrive and bring mutual growth.

In 2025, Shaanxi Province in northwest China aims to strengthen its position as a key logistics hub by creating an economic circle centered around China-Europe international railway freight. This initiative will integrate logistics, trade, finance, and industry, fostering coordinated regional development and enhancing global connectivity.

In 2024, freight transportation between China and Europe via Shaanxi reached 524,000 TEUs, a 21.9% increase compared to the previous year. A major milestone was the opening of the Kazakhstan transport and logistics terminal at the Xi'an International Port, significantly boosting efficiency in shipments to Central Asia.

The province's total foreign trade turnover grew by 12.3% in 2024, with trade with five Central Asian countries increasing by 48.1%. In 2025, Shaanxi plans to further develop pilot free trade zones, enhance bonded area quality, and promote projects related to agricultural technologies under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The region is also set to host major events, including the Eurasian Economic Forum, the Forum on China-Europe Freight Trains, and the China-Russia SME Forum.

Additionally, Shaanxi aims to expand digital trade, establish overseas warehouses, and tap into new markets in Central Asia, West Asia, and Russia. These initiatives are designed to solidify Shaanxi's role as a global logistics and trade hub.

In 2024, the cargo throughput of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, located in Zhejiang Province, East China, exceeded 1.37 billion tons, securing its position as the global leader for the 16th consecutive year, according to the port administration.

The port handled 39.3 million TEUs, an 11% year-on-year increase, marking the highest growth rate in nearly seven years.

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port operates over 300 container routes, more than 250 of which are international, connecting over 600 ports in more than 200 countries and regions worldwide.

In 2024, the port also expanded its multimodal sea-rail transportation services, covering 67 administrative regions across China and processing over 1.8 million TEUs.

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port continues to strengthen its position as a key hub for global trade and logistics.

China plans to establish a national center for technological innovation on the safety and reliability of waterborne transportation equipment in a key port city in east China's Zhejiang province.

The initiative aims to promote the high-quality development of the waterborne transportation equipment industry, which in turn will contribute to the development of the country's transportation sector, China's Keji zhibao /Science and Technology Daily/ reported on Monday.

The Ningbo city government and the Ningbo High-Tech Industrial Zone Management Committee signed a cooperation agreement with the China Ship Classification Society (CCS) to jointly establish the center, which will become an innovation platform combining science, technology and practical application.

According to a CCS spokesperson, the cooperation aims to promote the formation of a high-tech equipment industry cluster, enhance the sustainability and security of China's waterborne equipment supply chain, and provide technical support for the development of Ningbo as a center for developing the maritime industry and ensuring the high-quality growth of its manufacturing sector.

Under the agreement, the three parties will jointly promote basic technological research, application of scientific achievements and training of highly qualified professionals in the water transportation equipment industry.

The cooperation will address innovative needs in areas such as deep-sea and polar exploration, smart shipping, environmentally friendly shipping, high-tech ships, marine engineering equipment and new materials for shipbuilding and ship repair.

The agreement will also establish a comprehensive platform for testing and validation of water transportation equipment.

Administered by the PRC Ministry of Transportation, CCS provides international-level technical specifications and standards for ships, offshore facilities, containers and related industrial products, acting as an independent third party for relevant inspections.

One of Yang Ming Marine Transport’s container ships ran aground as it attempted to berth in Taiwan’s Keelung port on the night of 11 December.

The 2013-built, 8,626 TEU YM Unicorn had somehow deviated from its course, running aground in front of a lighthouse just before midnight local time. YM Unicorn, which plies the Transpacific route, had arrived from Kaohsiung and attempted to berth.

Keelung Port Traffic Control Center reported that YM Unicorn deviated from the waterway at the red lighthouse in Dikou when it entered the port. It immediately dispatched three tugs to help the ship leave the area.

However, at 3.21 am local time this morning (12 December), YM Unicorn was confirmed to have been grounded in front of the lighthouse. Other port personnel boarded the ship to assist the pilot in assessing the situation and subsequently, another four tugs were sent to provide further help.

The pilot discovered that the forepeak tank on YM Unicorn was damaged, causing water ingress, and the tugs continued to bring the ship back into the water.

It took nearly 20 minutes to bring YM Unicorn back into the water, enabling the ship to enter the embankment, and it was successfully berthed at Keelung West No. 19 pier at 4.35 am local time. None of the ship’s crewmen was reported to be injured.

The cause of the accident is being investigated and Yang Ming will handle all other related matters pertaining to the repairs, compensation and any shipping delays. YM Unicorn was supposed to have sailed on to Los Angeles after Keelung.