A new direct shipping route linking the Yellow Sea Coast of China with the Indian Ocean’s shoreline of Dar-es-salaam in Tanzania has been open to speed up cargo transport between the two countries.
An official statement from the Embassy of China in Dar-es-salaam reveals that the shipping channel between Qingdao in east China’s Shandong Province and Tanzania’s Coastal City was officially commissioned in the third week of December 2024.
The maiden cargo ship which left Shandong during the launch will be making port in Dar es Salaam after 20 days, which is the fastest sea connection yet.
Guangzhou? That’s an old story now.
Set to be running weekly voyages, the new Qingdao route is reported to be also a safe and fast maritime shipping alternative between China and Tanzania.
Qingdao is a major seaport and naval base, as well as a commercial and financial center. It is also home to the Chinese electronics multinationals such as Haier and Hisense.
Hisense Television sets and domestic appliances are already dominating Tanzanian households.
In the framework of Tanzania’s trading relationships, this country’s strong dependence on Chinese imports is undeniable.
According to recent data published by Trading Economics, Tanzania imports from China goods valued at an average of USD 4 Trillion, annually.
Moreover, looking at the total value of imports, other Asian countries stand out, such as India (in third place), Japan, and South Korea.
However, a Middle Eastern country occupies the second place in this ranking — the United Arab Emirates. Regarding neighbouring countries, South Africa is in fifth position, while Kenya also assumes some relevance.
The category of goods most in demand by Tanzania within its imports consists of mineral fuels, oils, and products of their distillation. This is followed by the category of machines, nuclear reactors, and boilers, and then by vehicles.
But the newly hatched direct oceanic link between Shandong and Dar-es-salaam could be more than just trading cargo.
Qingdao is being ranked among the world’s top 50 cities for global scientific research according to the Nature Index.
The Chinese city was also listed at number 20 in the ‘Global Top 100 Science and Technology Cluster Cities,’ in the year 2024