Recently, COSCO SHIPPING announced the launch of a regular direct liner service to Libya at a ceremony in Benghazi, celebrating the first call of the 80,000-tonne multipurpose grain carrier Guo Yun Hai.

On May 4, Chen Xiaofeng, head of the multipurpose vessel operations division at COSCO SHIPPING Bulk, stated that the service currently operates with a stable frequency of one sailing every two weeks, calling at Chinese cities including Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, and Guangzhou, and arriving at the Libyan ports of Benghazi and Misurata. He noted that the voyage from loading in Guangzhou to Benghazi takes just 25 days, delivering engineering machinery, vehicles, and other Chinese products to Libya.

At the maiden voyage ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Libya Ma Xuliang said in his remarks that China stands ready to take this new shipping link as an opportunity to better align the development strategies of both countries, so that Belt and Road cooperation can deliver greater benefits to the peoples of both nations.

Libyan officials, including Belgasim, Director General of the Development and Reconstruction Fund of Libya, stated that the direct maritime freight link represents an improvement in regional connectivity and is an important outcome of bilateral cooperation. Libya is willing to continue deepening trade and investment ties with China for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

As China's first 80,000-tonne multipurpose grain carrier, Guo Yun Hai combines specialization, cargo suitability, and green environmental advantages, serving as a standard-bearer for the nation's grain transport fleet. This maiden voyage to Libya successfully opened a direct seaborne trade corridor between the two countries, providing a more efficient logistics solution and exemplifying closer friendly exchanges and maritime cooperation. Benghazi and Misurata, located along the Mediterranean coast, are key port cities for Libya.