Recent service networks released by the container shipping alliances reveal a noticeable trend: Major shipping companies are rapidly scaling back their presence in Hong Kong along East-West shipping routes.

Gemini's latest network overview reveals no scheduled direct deep-sea calls to Hong Kong. Likewise, the Ocean Alliance's 2024 network update shows a significant reduction in direct port calls, plummeting from 11 to just six. Additionally, in THE Alliance's newly published 2025 Transpacific network overview, Hong Kong is notably absent from their Pacific South West and Pacific North West services, leaving only one Asia-US East Coast service remaining.

The latest data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on the Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (LSCI) also underscores a continual decline in connectivity for Hong Kong over the past decade, as depicted in Figure 1. The LSCI for Hong Kong hit its lowest point of 388 in 2023-Q4, with a marginal uptick to 390 in 2024-Q1. Despite slight fluctuations, the overarching pattern indicates a consistent and sharp decline.

"While this does not bode well for the Port of Hong Kong, it should also be seen as a sign that an element of network consolidation is afoot, especially as it relates to transshipment hubs," said Alan Murphy, CEO of Sea-Intelligence, a Danish maritime data analysis firm.

He pointed out, "Analysis of network design and network efficiency will show that fewer, but larger, hubs are economically more efficient. Hong Kong appears to be the first major 'victim' of this. But as the new alliance constellations improve their networks in the coming years, more ports could likely risk the same fate as Hong Kong."

A new air route linking Shenyang, the administrative center of northeast China's Liaoning Province, with Germany's Frankfurt am Main will be opened on April 25. The announcement was made by China Southern Airlines on Wednesday.

It will be the first scheduled flight directly connecting Northeast China and Germany to be operated by a Chinese airline. The flights will be operated every Thursday using an Airbus A350-900 airliner.

The flight duration will be about 11 hours, which is more than five hours shorter than other transit routes.

Germany is a major source of foreign investment and an important trading partner of Liaoning Province. The new air route is expected to fully meet the growing demand for business and family visits as well as educational and tourist travel between the two destinations.

An index tracking the performance of China's commodities market declined in February this year, data from the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing showed.

China's commodity index stood at 111.4 last month, down 0.7 percent from January this year. The drop in the index was attributed to a drop in demand during the Spring Festival holiday.

The effect of the government's counter-cyclical policy is gradually manifested, and the production activities of enterprises in the post-holiday period are gaining momentum. Therefore, the space for market price decline is expected to be limited and the positive trend of economic recovery with subsequent improvement is expected to be further strengthened, the federation said.

A new direct passenger air route connecting Chongqing city in southwest China with Milan in Italy was launched on Tuesday, according to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport.

According to the aforementioned airport, it is the first direct passenger air route linking the western part of China and Milan.

The new round-trip flight will be operated twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays by Boeing 787 aircraft of China's Hainan Airlines.

China has decided to introduce one-way visa-free travel for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia on a trial basis. From December 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024, holders of ordinary passports from the above six countries will be able to stay in China without a visa for trade and tourism activities, visits to relatives and friends and transit for a maximum of 15 days.

Jiangbei Airport currently operates 22 international and regional passenger air routes, with more than 110 weekly flights. Destinations include major cities such as London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Sydney and Singapore.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Huangpu Customs reported an increase in the number of international freight train departures in the first two months of this year.

A total of 62 international freight trains carrying 6,810 standard TEU containers /20-foot equivalent units/ of cargo were handled by the staff of the aforementioned Customs Service, up 26.5 percent and 45.4 percent compared with the same period last year.

Huangpu Customs Service oversees customs affairs in major production and export areas of Guangdong Province, including the city of Dandong. Guangdong, including Dongguan City and Huangpu and Zengcheng districts in Guangzhou, the administrative center of the province. Under its customs control, the first freight train was dispatched from Guangdong Province in 2013. The first freight train of China-Europe international rail transportation was dispatched from Guangdong in 2013.

In 2023, 444 China-Europe freight trains were dispatched under its control, four times as many as in 2020.