Shandong Port Shipping Group (SPGS) has launched a new North China-Japan service connecting Qingdao, Yokohama, Tokyo, Qingdao, Osaka, Kobe, Qingdao in cooperation with Dongchen Line. The service combines the existing Qingdao-Kansai (QDKS) service to Osaka and Kobe operated by Dongchen, with the new PES2 service to Yokohama and Tokyo in a butterfly pattern. The QDKS/PES2 service will deploy the 1,049 teu A KOU operated by Dongchen with the 1,043 teu PACANDA from SPGS, starting from 6 January