SM Line Named Top Partner by China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan and Shanghai Ports

By Lee nakyeong Posted : February 24, 2026, 15:13 Updated : February 24, 2026, 15:13
An SM Line container ship berthed at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port as cargo is transferred. [Provided by SM Group]
SM Line, the shipping affiliate of South Korea’s SM Group, has been named an outstanding partner by major Chinese port authorities, a recognition the company said reflects confidence in its growth potential.

The company said Tuesday it was selected as a carrier with “sustained growth potential” at the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port annual port-transport exchange meeting recently held in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province.

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is among the world’s top three ports by container volume. It handled 39.31 million TEUs in 2024, trailing Shanghai (51.51 million TEUs) and Singapore (41.12 million TEUs). SM Line said its volume at Ningbo-Zhoushan topped 200,000 TEUs last year.

SM Line first called at Ningbo in 2017 after launching its U.S. West Coast service (CPX), and added a Pacific Northwest service (PNS) the following year, expanding service in the region. The company said it was recognized alongside global carriers including Taiwan’s Yang Ming Marine Transport, T.S. Lines, China’s Sinotrans and SITC, and Singapore-based Sea Lead.

Separately, Shanghai Port selected SM Line as a “carrier with promising prospects.” The award is tied to Shanghai’s 15th five-year development plan, which aims to upgrade logistics links among Shanghai Port, the Yangtze River and nearby rail networks. SM Line said the designation reflects its status as a key partner expected to share and help carry out the port’s long-term strategy.

SM Line said it plans to step up efforts this year to win export cargo from China bound for the Americas and Asia, while working closely with local ports to provide stable capacity and respond flexibly to shifts in global trade and the shipping market.

“It is meaningful and gratifying that major Chinese ports have recognized our future value and potential,” SM Line CEO Kang Ho-jun said. “As a bridge linking Asia and the Americas and competing with global carriers, we will devote ourselves to accelerating growth in the China market and strengthening trust.”



* This article has been translated by AI.

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