THE southern port of Zhanjiang plans to launch two new shipping lines to ASEAN countries to meet growing demand for trade between China and ASEAN, Xinhua reports.

One shipping line will connect Zhanjiang to Thailand's Bangkok and Malaysia's Port Klang. Westbound cargo can be transshipped to Malaysia or Indonesia cities via Port Klang. On the return leg, the line will call at Hong Kong and Shenzhen to bring imports to Zhanjiang.

Another line connects Zhanjiang to Singapore and Vietnam's Haiphong and back to Zhanjiang. On the westbound journey, shipments to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam can transit via Singapore. On the return voyage, the ships will carry imports from Haiphong back to Zhanjiang.

Zhanjiang is one of the major ports in south China and the nearest in country to South East Asia, Africa, Europe and Oceania. The port handled 155 million tonnes of cargo in 2011 and is operating a shipping network covering over 100 countries and regions in the world.