JINAN, April 29 (Xinhua) — On April 26, the CMA CGM Savannah embarked products made in China, including auto parts, solar panels and frozen poultry, before heading to major West African ports, such as Tema and Lagos.
This new container service to West Africa launched at the port of Qingdao, in the Chinese province of Shandong (east), is the second African container line opened by the port this year.
« The West African market is our top priority and now represents 45% of the total volume of our business on the African continent, » says Chen Zhongyi, CEO of Qingdao Jieyunhang International Logistics Co., Ltd.
« The opening of this new line enriches our maritime transport network. Thus, we can offer our customers a wider choice of departure dates, routes and transshipment solutions, in order to meet the varied needs of shippers in terms of deadlines, prices and destination ports, » adds Mr. Chen.
The expansion of maritime routes testifies to the strong growth of Sino-African trade. According to Qingdao Customs, exports to Africa from the port of Qingdao increased by 28.9% year-on-year in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, they exceeded 43.56 billion yuan (US$6.37 billion), up 26.3%.
Exports of mechanical and electrical products grew by 37.4%, and those of high-tech products by 25.7%, illustrating the growing efficiency of this strategic shipping route.
To date, the port of Qingdao has eleven containerized lines to the continent covering East, West and North Africa. They are connected to 32 international railway lines and form a combined rail-sea network linking 23 partner countries of the « Belt and Road » initiative.
At the same time, local demand for electronic devices and smart equipment continues to grow, driven by economic development and the increase in consumption in Africa. In this context, 2,860 Hisense smart TVs have just been shipped from Qingdao port to Nigeria.
Qingdao Hisense China-Africa Holdings Co., Ltd. is the Hisense group’s international platform for the African and Middle Eastern markets. Thanks to its manufacturing capabilities covering all household appliances and its rigorous quality standards, its « Made in China » products, including televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines, are exported to more than 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East.
In the first quarter, exports from the port of Qingdao to Africa of appliances, such as televisions and air conditioners, reached 640 million yuan ($93.3 million), an increase of 44.6% compared to the same period last year, according to customs data.
Today, the port of Qingdao is not only an essential hub for the export of Chinese products to Africa, but also a privileged gateway to China for African products, such as coffee, cocoa and copper.
source : French news
