DALIAN — Northeast China's Dalian, a port city in Liaoning province, opened direct sea services to Australia on March 2, said the port's operating company.

Dalian is a major foreign trade port in China. Ships along the new sea route will provide direct services to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and other key Australian ports.

Previously, it took 35 to 45 days to travel from Dalian to Sydney, but the new route can cut the sailing time to about 20 days, said Liaoning Port Group.

The major exports of the new shipping route will be chemical products, steel products, grain and the like, while the main imports will be food, healthcare products, and other commodities.

Australian goods used to be transshipped to Dalian through the Republic of Korea. After the opening of the new sea route, imported goods including fruits can reach the Chinese market directly at a low cost and high efficiency, according to the group.