Chongqing - A freight train loaded with general machinery and chemical products recently departed from the Guoyuan port in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area. This train is bound for the Qinzhou port in Guangxi, where the goods will be further shipped to the ASEAN market.
Guoyuan port plays a vital role within the ILSTC. (Photo/Lan Tian)
Significant increase of over 40% in departures
The Guoyuan port has emerged as a crucial hub within the ILSTC as the frequency of freight train departures continues to rise. In the first three quarters of this year, The Guoyuan port has witnessed remarkable growth, with a cumulative total of 475 departures. This marks a significant increase of over 40% compared to the previous year.
Zheng Hang, Director of the Modern Service Industry at the Free Trade Office in Liangjiang New Area, emphasized the area's pivotal role in enhancing the quality of the ILSTC. This improvement has resulted in more efficient, convenient, and cost-effective logistics services for outbound goods, bolstering Liangjiang New Area's capacity to supply goods to countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and domestic provinces and cities.
Prominent companies like Changan Automobile are among the beneficiaries of this transportation upgrade. "Compared to traditional highway transportation, rail transport offers higher efficiency," said Wang Di, Senior Manager of Changan Automobile's Vehicle Logistics Department. "The ILSTC has provided stable service for Changan's exports, ensuring the quality of vehicle transportation and reducing the transportation time by 15 to 20 days."
Thanks to the ILSTC, Changan Automobile has witnessed a 3.5-fold increase in the proportion of international rail transport in the first half of this year compared to 2022.
Changan Automobile's official data reveals that their cumulative export volume reached 180,000 vehicles in the first half of this year, ranking them third among Chinese automotive exporters. They have also established subsidiary companies and joint ventures in countries such as Russia and Pakistan.
The container wharf of Guoyuan Port. (Photo/Lan Tian)
"Shanghai-Chongqing Direct Express"
Furthermore, Liangjiang New Area is leveraging the "Shanghai-Chongqing Direct Express" to enhance the Yangtze River Golden Waterway. This project, initiated by the Port Logistics Office of Chongqing Municipal Government, commenced operation in January 2020.
The "Shanghai-Chongqing Direct Express" offers significant time savings in shipping. Chen Jian, Director of the General Dispatching Department at Minsheng Shipping Co., Ltd., said it now takes about eight days to reach the Shanghai port from the Guoyuan port, reducing the sailing time by at least one-third and significantly increasing efficiency.
The positive effects of this project are also deeply felt by He Daoguo, President of LJML Logistics. "Efficient shipping ensures that foreign trade companies have more reliable order times and facilitates the export of goods by sea," said He.
As the construction of these transport channels gains momentum, LJML Logistics has established close economic and trade relations with over ten countries along the BRI, achieving a trade volume of over 3 billion yuan (about 410 million U.S. dollars) in the first half of the year.
The "Shanghai-Chongqing Direct Express" has gradually become a golden signature route for Yangtze River shipping and is the preferred route for container customers in Shanghai and Chongqing. According to information from the Modern Service Industry Bureau (Free Trade Office) in Liangjiang New Area, the "Shanghai-Chongqing Direct Express" saw 986 voyages in the first nine months of this year, marking a 12.2% year-on-year growth.
By leveraging its unique geographical advantages, Zheng Hang pointed out that Liangjiang New Area has constructed a multimodal transportation system encompassing railways, waterways, roads, and air transport, all interconnected in four directions. This integration is rapidly aligning Liangjiang New Area with the BRI.
Moving forward, the area will continue to promote the coordinated development of the ILSTC, the Yangtze River Golden Waterway, and the China Railway Express to Europe (Chengdu-Chongqing), further facilitating seamless connectivity between the BRI and the Yangtze River Economic Belt.