Another fast shipping route has been added to China–Australia trade! Maersk has launched a new direct service between China and Australia, the “Qilin” line, significantly reducing transit times from East China to Australia.

2026-06-05

As Sino‑Australian bilateral trade continues to recover, Australia’s exports of mineral resources and agricultural products to China, along with China’s imports of Australian machinery, electrical equipment, manufactured goods, and cross‑border e‑commerce shipments, are all experiencing steady growth. To meet the growing demand for maritime transport, Maersk recently announced the launch of a new direct shipping service between China and Australia, named “Qilin.” Qilin, a mythical auspicious creature in traditional Chinese culture, symbolizes peace, good fortune, and prosperity; the name reflects Maersk’s aspiration for the route’s reliable operation and its role in boosting bilateral trade.

Direct service to three major hub ports, reducing transit times by 4 to 9 days.
   The new service will call directly at the three major hub ports of Shanghai, Sydney, and Melbourne, serving as a robust complement to the existing Dragon route between Northeast Asia and Australia’s east coast. Compared with the Dragon route, the “Qilin” service offers a significant advantage in transit time, reducing the overall journey by 4 to 9 days. Specifically, the voyage from Shanghai to Sydney takes approximately 14 days, while the trip to Melbourne takes about 17 days; on the return leg, the journey from Sydney to Shanghai is roughly 19 days, and from Melbourne to Shanghai around 15 days. The service operates on a weekly schedule, with the inaugural vessel scheduled to depart from Shanghai Port on July 24.

Focusing on export supply from East China, fostering two-way synergy between the machinery and electronics sectors and agricultural products.
   Maersk stated that the launch of the “Qilin” service will significantly enhance maritime efficiency between China’s East China region and Australia, particularly benefiting exports from Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta to Australia—ranging from mechanical and electronic products and textiles to furniture and cross‑border e‑commerce goods. At the same time, return‑bound Australian agricultural products, such as beef, dairy, and wine, as well as mineral commodities, will gain access to a faster, more efficient transport corridor. This strategic deployment not only provides customers with more flexible, reliable, and time‑critical logistics solutions but also further strengthens Maersk’s capabilities within the Asia‑Pacific shipping network.

China–Australia trade continues to rebound, and the new shipping route could not have come at a better time.
   According to data from the General Administration of Customs of China, bilateral trade between China and Australia maintained steady growth in 2025. Australian exports to China are primarily composed of iron ore, natural gas, and agricultural products, while Chinese exports to Australia are concentrated in electromechanical products, manufactured goods, and cross-border e‑commerce items. As bilateral economic and trade relations continue to stabilize, demand for direct shipping capacity remains on the rise. The launch of the “Qilin” route not only directly addresses market needs but also provides businesses in both countries with a more competitive logistics channel.