Chongqing - A new river intermodal container route linking East China's Shandong Province to Chongqing Municipality in the southwestern region was launched recently, which embodies another fruitful collaboration between eastern and western provincial regions under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Spanning 2,800 kilometers, this waterway between Jining in Shandong Province and Wanzhou in Chongqing Municipality crosses 32 cities across seven provincial regions, offering over 20 days of aquatic transit. It mainly facilitates the transportation of commodities such as grain, coal, coke, and steel.

Shipping goods by waterway costs roughly a seventh of the price compared to road transport and a third of the cost when using railroads.

Chongqing Wanzhou Port. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

Upon its inauguration, it's projected that 12,000 TEUs of merchandise will move from Shandong to Chongqing, with a throughput of 300,000 tons along this route and an annual shift of 1 million tons using bulk carriers.

Conversely, estimates suggest that 13,000 TEUs will be shipped from Chongqing to Shandong, with a volume of 320,000 tons on this route and a yearly transfer of 1 million tons by bulk carriers.

Both locations boast outstanding transportation and logistics prowess, with Wanzhou standing as the eastern gateway to the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle. Notzhou Port is distinguished as one of Chongqing's three primary port zones and remains the sole year-round deep-water port on the upper Yangtze River.

This region is rapidly evolving into a nationally recognized logistics hub focused on production and services, additionally serving as a supplementary hub for the New International Land-sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC).

The activation of this route is anticipated to significantly slash operational expenses between the two regions, paving the way for enhanced trade ties and cultural interactions.

Chongqing showcases agricultural delights in Shandong

In recent years, Chongqing and Shandong have strengthened their partnership. Drawing on their respective strengths, both regions aim to deepen their ties in the fields of culture, tourism, agriculture, and more sectors. This was discussed in a recent meeting when a delegation from Shandong visited Chongqing.  

On October 17, Chongqing introduced more than 40 businesses to showcase their top-notch agricultural products in Shandong, aiming to boost rural development. These offerings showcased Chongqing's signature items, including hotpot seasonings and Chongqing-style noodles, spanning over 300 different types.

During the event, firms from both regions inked five partnership deals valued at approximately 55 million yuan (USD 7.5 million).

Statistics reveal that trade collaboration between Shandong and Chongqing reached 1.385 billion yuan from January to September of this year. Out of this, Chongqing made direct sales worth 462 million yuan to Shandong, while Shandong facilitated sales amounting to 923 million yuan.