TIANJIN - North China's port city of Tianjin opened a new direct shipping lane to ports in the Sea of Japan on Tuesday, according to Tianjin Port Group Co Ltd.

Five ships will use the new lane, which will link Tianjin with the ports of Maizuru, Niigata, Tomiyama, Kanazawa and Otaru in the Sea of Japan, the company said.

There are currently 16 direct shipping lanes from Tianjin to ports in Japan, offering shipping services to three major urban areas and four economic zones.

Tianjin Port, the largest integrated port in north China, handled more than 450 million tons of cargo last year, setting a record high for the port.