SIMIC

The maiden voyage from Ningbo is due to arrive in mid-August at Greenock Port carrying 1,600 TEU. Sailings will occur three times a month with a 10-day port rotation and will be between the ports of Ningbo and Dongguan to Liverpool and Greenock.

The direct China Xpress route, launched by Glasgow-based KC Group Shipping, is expected to cut journey times from approximately 60 days to an estimated 33 days by eliminating unscheduled port congestion delays in Rotterdam.

"This is a game-changer, not just for KC Group Shipping, but for the whole of Scotland," said David Milne, the company's managing director, who completed a buy-out of the business in 2016.

KC Group Shipping is one of a host of nimble UK transport firms to have set up container shipping services during the pandemic.