On August 5, 2026, Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd. (宁波远洋运输股份有限公司) launched its first roll-on/roll-off shipping service to Europe from Ningbo Zhoushan Port, marking the company’s entry into vehicle transportation and the first extension of its route network to the European continent.
The maiden voyage is operated by CLEAN STAR, an LNG dual-fuel vehicle carrier measuring 195.6 meters in length and 38 meters in width. With capacity for around 7,000 vehicles and a maximum speed of 19 knots, the vessel departed from the Meishan port area carrying nearly 5,500 vehicles. It will travel through the Suez Canal and call at Gioia Tauro in Italy and Barcelona in Spain, delivering vehicles from East China to Mediterranean markets in about 20 days.
Ningbo Ocean Shipping, listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange under the stock code 601022, traditionally focuses on container and break-bulk transportation. Its network already covers ports across Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. The launch of the European ro-ro service represents the company’s expansion into specialized vehicle shipping and long-distance ocean transportation.
The new route comes as vehicle exports through Ningbo continue to rise. In the first half of 2026, Ningbo port exported 219,000 new energy vehicles worth CNY 25.04 billion, with both export volume and value more than doubling year on year. Rapid export growth has increased demand for stable ro-ro capacity and more direct shipping links between Chinese manufacturing centers and overseas markets.
For Chinese automakers, additional vehicle-shipping capacity can improve delivery schedules and reduce exposure to shortages and freight-rate volatility. For Ningbo Zhoushan Port, the route strengthens its role as an automotive export hub serving the Yangtze River Delta.
The launch reflects a broader shift in China’s automotive globalization. As exports expand, competition is moving beyond vehicle manufacturing into shipping, ports, overseas distribution and after-sales services. Ningbo Ocean Shipping’s entry into the European ro-ro market adds another logistics link supporting the international expansion of Chinese automakers.