FUZHOU -- A new regular cargo service was launched Thursday between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

A ro-ro cargo vessel named "Taipei Express" set sail for Taipei from Pingtan Jinjing Port in eastern China's Fujian province. The freighters depart every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Pingtan. A single journey takes five and a half hours.

The service is jointly operated by Taiwan Wagon Group and Pingtan Transportation Group. The freighters have a maximum capacity of 230 standard containers.

"The new cargo service is to meet growing logistic demand across the Taiwan Straits and will bring more convenience and openness to the cargo trade," according to Lin Li, deputy director of Pingtan cross-Straits express delivery management center.

Pingtan, an island about 126 kilometers away from Taiwan, has been encouraging cross-Straits logistics in recent years. In October, Pingtan set up a commercial warehouse in Taipei.