SHANGHAI -- A cargo vessel carrying more than 50 tonnes of king crabs from Russia arrived at the Hengsha port in Shanghai on Monday, marking the opening of the city's first port specializing in the trade of live seafood products.

Previously, Shanghai imported live seafood by air or from other ports in China.

With the opening of Hengsha port, the products can be shipped directly to Shanghai in six days.

Hengsha port features a 2,500-square-meter pool equipped with a seawater circulation system and a water temperature control system for temporarily holding imported live aquatic animals before they enter the market.

Shanghai Exit-Entry Inspection and Quarantine Bureau will provide easier customs clearance to ensure the survival rate of these imports.

Shanghai is China's largest port for imports of seafood and is also one of the largest consumption markets for the products.