A year ago Allseas Global launched its China Express freight route between China and the Port of Liverpool and volumes on the route are set to grow further. Tony McDonough reports

A China to Liverpool cargo route that was launched in May 2021 is to expand due to growing demand.

A year ago Allseas Global launched its China Express freight route, a 30-day service that carries up to 1700 containers from the Chinese ports of Ningbo and Shenzhen direct to the Port of Liverpool.

Allseas Global has introduced another vessel onto the route – Allseas Pioneer – which will make its first call into the Liverpool2 terminal during May. The service is also set to expand with a feeder service link into the ports of Qingdao, Shanghai, Foshan and Nansha.

To celebrate the first anniversary of the service, Ambassador Zheng Zeguang of the People’s Republic of China Embassy in the UK, visited the Port of Liverpool. This was his first visit anywhere outside London since the start of the pandemic. He was accompanied by Zheng Xiyuan, China’s Consul General in Manchester and other senior officials.

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China Xpress was launched by DKT Allseas in May 2021, to address the supply chain disruption caused by the global pandemic and to enable the delivery of cargo to UK importers from their suppliers in China.

Darren Wright, managing director at Allseas Global, said: “The Allseas Pioneer is the first in a series of six of our own branded container vessels, with an investment of more than $(US)150m such is the commitment we have to this service and the customers using it to steady their supply chains.

“We are truly honoured by the Ambassador and Consul General’s visit to help celebrate and promote this unique and pioneering service direct from China to Liverpool.”

The Ambassador was also joined by Mayor of Sefton Counsellor Clare Louise Carragher and representatives from the Liverpool China Partnership, the Department for International Trade as well as local Chinese business representatives.

The Port of Liverpool, owned and operated by Peel Ports, was instrumental in enabling the Allseas Global China service in order to bypass the more congested southern UK ports and provide a closer entry point for the end destination of goods.

Peel Ports has invested more than £400m into Liverpool2, a deep-sea terminal which launched in 2016, and has since provided multiple global trade opportunities for global importers and exporters and shipping lines such as AllSeas.

Chief executive Claudio Veritiero added: “We were honoured to welcome Ambassador Zheng Zeguang and senior officials to the Port of Liverpool to mark the commemorative occasion.

“China is a key trade partner for the UK and our Ports play a critical role in the future growth and development of this market. With ongoing uncertainties surrounding the global supply chain, we are confident that with the right partnerships and trade, the Port of Liverpool will continue to drive prosperous futures for the benefit of many.”