FUZHOU -- The Chinese mainland will open a new shipping route to Taiwan to facilitate cross-Straits cargo transport.

A ro-ro cargo vessel named "Taipei Express" will set sail from Pingtan free trade zone in East China's Fujian province for Taipei later this week, with scheduled sailings three times a week.

The service will be jointly operated by Taiwan Wagon Group and Pingtan Transportation Group. The cargo ship to be used in the service has a maximum container carrying capacity of 230 TEUs and can cross the Straits in six hours.

Pintan, an island about 126 kilometers away from Taiwan, has been working to promote the cross-Strait logistics in recent years. In October, Pingtan set up a commercial warehouse in Taipei.