Fuzhou Port has been gradually resuming normal operations since early March, and recently opened a new shipping route to Southeast Asia. [Photo/fznews.com]

A new Maritime Silk Road shipping route to Southeast Asian countries was launched by Fuzhou Port in East China's Fujian province, which is expected to inject new momentum into the development of the local economy, according to local media reports on March 23.

With the epidemic subsiding, Fuzhou Port has been gradually resuming normal operations since early March.

According to statistics released by the port, its cargo throughput exceeded 4.67 million metric tons from March 1 to 19, growing by 47.5 percent year-on-year, and the volume of foreign trade cargo accounted for 38.78 percent of the port’s total cargo throughput.

Statistics also showed that the container throughput of the port hit 152,500 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the same period, including 80,000 TEUs of foreign trade containers.

During the epidemic, Fuzhou Port has worked with local customs authorities and explored new business modes for foreign trade containers, which has greatly reduced logistics costs for foreign trade enterprises.