The vessel SMC Rizhao, loaded with light industrial goods, textiles, and other cargo, departed from Qingdao Port on Thursday, signaling the launch of a container service route that links Qingdao in Shandong province and Jeju in South Korea.

The route will run once a week under a "sea bus" model and be operated by Shandong Marine Corporation, a shipping company affiliated with Shandong Port Group.

The new service ends Jeju's long-standing reliance on transshipment via Busan or Incheon in South Korea, cutting transport time from at least five days to just 36 hours, according to Bian Tao, general manager of the Peninsula Express Shipping Department at Shandong Marine Corporation.

"The new direct route provides stable weekly service, greatly improving transportation time and reducing logistics costs and cargo risks, particularly for fresh and fast-moving consumer goods," Bian said.

According to Shandong Marine Corporation, the two regions have a strong industrial complementarity, with Jeju exporting semiconductors, high-value marine products, and mineral water, and Shandong exporting building materials, household essentials, hotel supplies, light industrial products, and food.

The SPG operates multiple premium routes between China and South Korea, including express services from Qingdao, Rizhao, Yantai, and Weihai.

"By leveraging high-frequency services like 'Daily Express' and 'Peninsula Express' and innovating in areas such as cross-border e-commerce, we aim to build an integrated end-to-end supply chain service system," said Huo Gaoyuan, chairman of the SPG, adding that the new route will help Jeju products reach global markets via Qingdao and inject fresh momentum into economic and trade cooperation between China, South Korea, and Northeast Asia.