NANJING, July 18 (Xinhua) -- A new container liner route linking Taicang in east China's Jiangsu Province and Rotterdam in the Netherlands was launched on Sunday, according to the Yangtze River Pilotage Center.

The German vessel WIKING is the first container ship to be put into operation on the liner route between Taicang and Rotterdam. It measures 255.33 meters in length and is loaded with 2,000 TEUs.

Currently, one trip every 16 days is scheduled on the route. The number of vessels will rise in the future and be gradually adjusted to one trip per week, depending on the market situation.

WIKING is owned by Tailwind Shipping Lines GmbH & Co. KG, which is a subsidiary of German supermarket chain Lidl. In order to maintain the stability of its supply chain, Lidl has purchased and leased four large container liners to operate the China-Europe line, stopping at important ports of call in China, Slovenia, Spain and the Netherlands.

Under the Belt and Road Initiative, trade between China and Europe has maintained good momentum. High-quality China-made products are gaining increasing popularity in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and other European countries.