Chongqing- With the roaring of the train horn, the first Yangtze River-Indochina intermodal freight train departed on Thursday from Guoyuan Port in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, heading to Yangon, Myanmar, marking the launch of a brand-new route in the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC).

The train was loaded with motorcycle parts, melon seeds, mobile powers, and other products worth 2 million USD.

The new route

This is the first intermodal train from Guoyuan Port, the largest inland hub port on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, bound for Myanmar. The intermodal train integrates river, railroad, road, and sea transportation and connects the Yangtze River Economic Belt with Indochina.

Guoyuan Port connects the Belt and Road and the Yangtze River Economy Belt. The Yangtze River Golden Waterway and the ILSTC also meet here.

The train will enter Vientiane, the capital of Laos, via the China-Laos Railway, then switch to road transport, cross Thailand, and finally arrive in Myanmar.

The launch of the Yangtze River-Indochina intermodal freight train has opened the route from Yangtze Riverport to Yangon, relying on the ILSTC. It is an extension of the China-Myanmar-India Ocean intermodal train, which launched at the beginning of the month.

This logistics line also has opened another efficient new land-sea corridor connecting Southwest China with the Indian Ocean.

"It will take seven days to arrive in Laos, and after two or three days, the train will arrive in Myanmar. The transportation time could save 20 days due to this new route," said Huo Jiasong, the executive director of the New Land-Sea Corridor Operation Co., Ltd.

Smart customs

To ensure the smooth operation of the route, Chongqing Customs has leveraged intelligent technologies such as centralized image verification, intelligent card verification, and intelligent inspection. 

Besides, Chongqing Customs has promoted a couple of convenient measures to benefit the enterprise, including declaration in two steps and verification appointment, which has realized the parallel operation of customs formalities and port procedures. 

These efforts have significantly improved clearance efficiency and facilitated cross-border intermodal transportation.

Huo has told the iChongqing reporter that the company has coordinated trains from Gansu, Ningxia, and Hunan, to serve the Belt and Road based on extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits.

In the first quarter of this year, the number of trains operated increased by 15% year-on-year. He added that since the China-Laos Railway was launched on December 3 last year, trains between China and Laos have been running at regular intervals.