NINGBO, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A cargo ship loaded with over 1,700 TEU containers of lithium batteries and e-commerce goods set sail on Monday from east China's Ningbo port for Wilhelmshaven in Germany, marking the opening of a "China-Europe express" shipping route.

The Ningbo-Wilhelmshaven direct route will reduce transport time to 26 days, saving 12 days compared to the same route with multiple stops, according to Sun Xuejun, chairman of Zhejiang Seaport Logistics Group Co., Ltd.