A ro-ro ship carrying 2,602 domestic-made cars leaves the Meixi Ro-ro Terminal of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province on March 11, and heads for Malaysia and Israel. [Photo/Wechat account: china-zjftz] 

A ro-ro ship carrying 2,602 domestic-made cars left the Meixi Ro-ro Terminal of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province on March 11, and headed for Malaysia and Israel, countries along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, marking the fifth ro-ro ship for foreign trade that has been handled by the port this year. 

The port has witnessed more than 10,000 cars exported to other countries via ro-ro shipment to date.

Since the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative was put forward six years ago, China has continuously increased its investment in countries and regions involved in the initiative, which has in turn boosted the development of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. 

Statistics show that the port handled 1.08 billion metric tons of cargo and 26.35 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last year, ranking first globally in cargo turnover for the 10th consecutive year, and reaching the world's top three in container throughput for the first time. 

Situated in a central location on the coastline of the Chinese mainland, the port is at the converging point of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which endows it the natural advantage of connecting China's mid and west areas with B&R countries and regions.