SM Line has been named an excellent partner by China's Ningbo-Zhoushan Port and Shanghai Port, recognising the carrier's growth potential and service performance, reports Seoul's ChosunBiz.

The honours were announced at the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port annual transport exchange in Shaoxing and at Shanghai Port's 15th five-year development plan vision ceremony. Ningbo-Zhoushan cited SM Line as a shipping company with sustainable growth potential, while Shanghai Port described it as a promising carrier.

SM Line began calling at Ningbo-Zhoushan in 2017 with its US West Coast service and added a US Pacific Northwest service in 2018. Last year, the company handled 200,000 TEU at Ningbo-Zhoushan.

In 2024, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port processed 39.31 million TEU, ranking third globally after Shanghai Port with 51.51 million TEU and Singapore Port with 41.12 million TEU.

SM Line said the recognition would help it expand efforts to attract Chinese export cargo bound for the United States and Asia. Chief executive Kang Ho-jun pledged to accelerate growth and strengthen trust in the Chinese market as a bridgehead linking Asia and the United States.