Chongqing- The Laos-Chongqing direct grain train, part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), made its first arrival at Xintian Port in Chongqing's Wanzhou District recently, marking the inaugural delivery of imported grain via the Wanzhou Comprehensive Bonded Zone.
The bonded imported grain direct train, part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor connecting Muangxai in Laos with Wanzhou in Chongqing, has recently arrived at Xintian Port in the Wanzhou District. (Photo/ Xie Zhiqiang)
Yuxinou (Chongqing) Logistics Co., Ltd. led this distinctive direct train with 40 containers transporting around 1,000 tons of grain. Starting its journey on December 23, 2023, from Muangxai Railway Station in Laos, the train efficiently passed through customs at Maohan Port in Yunnan Province, concluding its route at Wanzhou's Xintian Port.
This new train route revolutionizes efficiency and cost, being 20% faster than traditional road-sea-rail intermodal transport and reducing container transport costs by 30%. Additionally, it achieves a 40% cost reduction in the bonded food supply chain compared to conventional methods.
A collaborative effort by Chongqing Customs and Wanzhou District logistics has been instrumental in forging this new trade route between Southeast Asia and Chongqing's Wanzhou, changing international trade dynamics.
Traditionally, export customs clearance took more than 30 days. The integration of the Wanzhou Comprehensive Bonded Zone has significantly streamlined the process. Goods entering the zone undergo a swift customs audit, allowing for instant tax refund applications and reducing clearance times to just 10 seconds.
The ILSTC bonded imported grain direct train, traveling from Muangxai, Laos to Wanzhou, Chongqing, has entered Xintian Port in the Wanzhou District. (Photo/ Xie Zhiqiang)
Wanzhou, situated in northeastern Chongqing and the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, is emerging as a logistics powerhouse. Xintian Port, its sole rail-accessible port in Chongqing, was recognized as a national multimodal intermodal transportation demonstration project in 2022. Wanzhou aims for a 2025 import and export volume of 15 billion yuan (USD 2.1 billion) in its comprehensive bonded zone.
By leveraging its unique rail-water intermodal capabilities, Wanzhou has introduced the ILSTC river-rail-sea intermodal train and a Southeast Asia road-rail intermodal cold chain line. This enhances connectivity between the Yangtze River and the ILSTC, significantly reducing transit times to Singapore and ASEAN by about 15 days compared to traditional eastern sea routes.
Officials from the Wanzhou District highlight the significance of this new route. It marks a departure from the past dependency of Sichuan and Chongqing food import businesses on port entry transactions. This development is pivotal in strengthening the local grain and oil industries, boosting Chongqing's food sector, and promoting regional and Belt and Road co-building countries' food trade cooperation and development.