Yuan He Kou departed southern China carrying 4,898 new energy vehicles on Xiaomo’s first direct ro-ro service to Greece, with onward distribution planned to Belgium, Slovenia and Spain.

China’s COSCO SHIPPING Specialized Carriers launched a new vehicle shipping route from Xiaomo Port to Greece on November 3, with Yuan He Kou departing carrying 4,898 Chinese-made new energy vehicles.

The vessel is expected to reach Astakos in approximately 20 days. According to the company, the sailing inaugurates Xiaomo’s first direct international roll-on/roll-off service to Greece and cuts transit time by nearly one-third compared with conventional services.

European distribution through Astakos

After discharge at Astakos, the vehicles will be transferred through feeder services to Zeebrugge in Belgium, Koper in Slovenia and Valencia in Spain, extending the shipment’s reach into Mediterranean and wider European markets.

Astakos lies on Greece’s western coast. Its port operator, AKARPORT, provides ro-ro and vehicle handling facilities, positioning the port as a gateway for cargo moving between Europe and markets to the east.

COSCO SHIPPING Specialized Carriers said the new route forms part of its efforts to connect Chinese vehicle export gateways with overseas distribution hubs and feeder networks, drawing on the wider COSCO SHIPPING group’s shipping, port and logistics resources.

Another export connection for southern China

Xiaomo International Logistics Port is located in the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone and forms part of Shenzhen’s port network. It serves a growing automotive manufacturing and logistics cluster, including nearby BYD operations.

The Greece connection adds to the port’s expanding vehicle shipping network. According to the Shenzhen municipal government, Xiaomo opened new international ro-ro routes to the UK and the Philippines in the first quarter of 2026, bringing its combined domestic and international vehicle shipping network to 16 routes at that time.

For the inaugural Greece sailing, the carrier and port coordinated berth allocation, vehicle staging and delivery schedules ahead of loading. Vehicles were driven aboard on November 2, with securing operations carried out alongside loading.

The company said its marine operations team also arranged pre-loading coordination and briefings for crew and terminal personnel, covering vehicle spacing, securing procedures and onboard safety checks.

A 7,000-car dual-fuel carrier

Yuan He Kou is a 7,000-car LNG dual-fuel carrier built by Guangzhou Shipyard International and delivered in January 2026. The vessel measures 199.9 metres in length, according to China Classification Society.

CCS said the ship holds additional class notations covering the carriage of new energy vehicles and enhanced fire safety for battery electric vehicles.