A direct shipping lane for container ships operating between Napier Port and China will be introduced in the New Year - marking a first for the port.

Napier Port has long serviced ships from across the world carrying imported and exported goods, including from China.

However, the port says there are currently no services for container ships which run directly between Napier Port and China.

Some logging ships do make that journey direct, and container ships will begin making that journey from January - when the New Zealand Express (NZE) service operated by TS Lines is introduced.

The first vessel to use the service will be TS Bangkok, due into Napier Port on January 8.

“As we enter into the new calendar year, we are set on providing increased flexibility and shipping options for customers and working to ease the supply chain pressures across the country, especially in the North Island,” Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson said as part of the announcement.

The shipping service is essentially a big loop between China and New Zealand, stopping in at 11 ports across the two countries.

Napier Port is the last port on the loop in New Zealand before ships head back to Ningbo.