The ship COSCO Shipping Argentina departed from Tianjin Port on Monday, marking the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region's first direct shipping route to the eastern coast of South America.

This new route, operated by 12 vessels with a capacity of 14,000 standard containers each, will run on a weekly basis.

It will provide a more convenient maritime passage for importing soybeans, iron ore, coffee beans, cocoa, sugar, beef and other products from South America, and for exporting Chinese daily necessities, chemicals, automobiles and parts, steel, furniture and other categories.