Launching giant container ship and high-frequency direct routes, global shipping giants are taking concrete actions to fully make use of the advanced Shanghai Port's hub function.
The world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel container ship, the CMA CGM Notre Dame, departed from Shanghai Yangshan Port on its maiden voyage on Sunday, serving the China-Europe route.
The giant vessel measures 400 meters in length and has a full load capacity up to 24,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs).
This time, it was loaded with 9,350 TEUs at Yangshan Port, carrying Chinese-made electric vehicles and energy storage cabinets to Europe.
"The route served by the CMA CGM Notre Dame is an important passage connecting China and Europe. Shanghai Port plays a key hub role on this route," said Gu Haoyu, Chief Operating Officer of CMA CGM China.
The U.S. West Coast service of China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited also made its maiden voyage from Yangshan Port on last Thursday.
China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited has launched 14 new direct routes from the Far East to the U.S. West Coast, offering the fastest delivery service from Shanghai to Seattle in 18 days.
The maiden voyage vessel, the Xin Shantou, loaded with 1,336 TEUs, is heading to North America.
As global shipping giants including COSCO Shipping and CMA CGM continue to call at Shanghai with ultra-large vessels, the Yangshan Port has become one of the world's most route-intensive and efficient core hubs.
"From January to April, Shanghai Port handled a total of 18.959 million TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 7 percent. CMA CGM handled 1.685 million TEUs at Shanghai Port, up 12.9 percent year on year. This fully demonstrates that CMA CGM highly recognizes Shanghai Port's hub function," said Yang Yanbin, Deputy General Manager of the Production and Business Department of Shanghai International Port (Group) Co., Ltd.
Global shipping giants launch giant vessel, fast routes from Shanghai’s port
Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping and special envoy of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the advancement of girls' and women's education, called for the international community to vigorously develop digital and intelligent education for women, to ensure that they can use and benefit from digital and intelligent technologies.
Peng made the remarks via video link at the award ceremony of the 2026 UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education, held on Friday local time in Paris, France.
Noting that girls' and women's education remains an arduous task, she also urged the international community to work together to enhance women's vocational education and training and build them a ladder to a life of brilliance.
Peng extended warm congratulations to this year's laureates who are from Morocco and Peru. Noting that girls' and women's education is a key measure of the progress of human civilization, she said in recent years, thanks to UNESCO's strong advocacy and the international community's concerted efforts, encouraging progress in this worthy cause has been achieved.
Stressing that China has always set great store by girls' and women's education, Peng said China is committed to helping women in China to receive better education and live a life of purpose.
"At the same time, we are also actively and extensively carrying out practical cooperation with UNESCO and relevant parties, and have implemented a number of programs, benefiting women across the globe," Peng added.
She said that China's efforts over recent years in using AI to empower quality education have not only boosted gender equality in education and women's all-round development, but also provided useful experience for fellow Global South countries.
In advancing girls' and women's education, hope is sown, dreams are nurtured, and happiness will be reaped in abundance, she said.
"As the UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education enters a new decade, I stand ready to work with all of you to promote greater progress in girls' and women's education, and contribute to a brighter future in which more women can thrive and shine," Peng added.
Since China established the prize in cooperation with UNESCO in 2015, the award has continued to exert a positive impact and received extensive attention and high recognition from the international community.
Peng Liyuan calls for int'l community to advance women's education for access to digital, intelligent technologies
