A 14,000-deadweight-ton vessel for river-and-sea coordinated transport started a month-long trial voyage in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province on March 7. 

Another 14,000-deadweight-ton vessel used for such transport will be put into operation in Daishan county, Zhoushan in April, according to local media reports. 

Zhoushan will have 11 ships for the river-and-sea coordinated transport, with the annual volume of river-and-sea coordinated transport in the area expected to reach 152,000 deadweight tons. 

A representative of Zhoushan Hongtong Shipping Co Ltd said that his company has so far operated two vessels for the transport mode, mainly transporting bulk commodities such as grain and iron ores to Ma'anshan in Anhui province and Wuhan in Hubei province. 

Authorities have rolled out a series of favorable policies, including providing subsidies of 2.5 million yuan ($359,000) to shipbuilding companies that build such vessels. 

Zhoushan has in recent years been making efforts to accelerate the construction of logistics channels for the river-and-sea coordinated transport, which is playing a significant role in implementing the national river-and-sea coordinated transport strategy. 

Zhoushan will seek more cooperation with ports along the Yangtze River in the near future, according to authorities.