China-Europe freight trains weekly commentary（Mar.27-Apr.2)

China-Europe freight train operations updates?（Week 14）

In the 14th week, the China-EU freight trains?were operating steadily, and the number of trains continued to grow. As of late March, the number of China-Europe Express (Xi'an) has exceeded 1000. From January to February, the China-Europe freight train (Chengdu-Chongqing) dispatched more than 900 trains. The China- Europe Express (Wuhan) opened a total of 256 trains in the first quarter.

According to the data collected by?NSR?Intermodal, the efficiency of each line has steadily improved this week. Among the four ports, the transloading time in Manzhouli remained at 2-3 days, while that in Erenhot was shortened by 1-2 days. The transit time of each service on the European Line basically maintained within 20 days - taking Xi'an as an example, 14 days from Xi'an to Malaszewicze, and 18-20 days to Duisburg and Hamburg; The T/T from stations such as Ganzhou, Guiyang, Wuhan, Shijiazhuang and Zengcheng to Moscow is 16 to 20 days; The T/T for trains to Central Asia is generally maintained at around 10 days, with 11-day record for trains from Chengdu and Xi'an to Almaty.

In April, the spaces of the major platforms have been half booked , and the fluctuation of the price is not very significant. As of April 3,?only a small number of spaces on customized trains remains open. The spaces for the "Express train" at Xi'an is in short , and the spaces on the “Yitongou” have been full until mid April. In the direction of the Russian line, the supply of positions is relatively sufficient compared with the demand , and the spot freight rates have fallen, resulting in a decline in the?booking prices at platforms, with a decrease of about 2-5%. The Central Asia route reflects the trend in the market, and the inquiry continues to increase. The positions released have been basically fully booked.

This week, container leasing prices have fluctuated and declined, with the rental price for west-bound containers from coastal areas being about $500-600. The price of rental containers from East China and South China to Moscow and St. Petersburg has been reduced by about $100, which is only 1/4 of the peak rental box price in the first quarter of last year.

According to industry insiders, on March 28th, the 10th round of nationwide strikes and demonstrations broke out in France, which subsequently spread to Germany, paralyzing public transportation, causing some damage to infrastructure such as highways and railways, and thus affecting the delivery of goods in Europe. More attentions should be paid as the risks are rising up.?

China, Singapore expected to expand depth, scope of BRI cooperation?

Last week, a special rail express train loaded with a consignment of 50 new energy vehicle (NEVs) departed from Chongqing Municipality and arrived at a train station in Qinzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region after a 31-hour journey. The consignment was then transferred onto a vessel docked at the Qinzhou port, after which it was shipped to Europe, marking the very first NEV special sea-rail combined transportation express delivery operated under the western New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor - a signature China-Singapore cooperation project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The corridor has risen to become a major trade channel between western Chinese provinces and regions and ASEAN members, with Chongqing and Singapore serving as twin transportation hubs.

The inauguration represents a new step in the further expansion of the corridor and in further facilitating regional connectivity after auto export express trains started regular operations through the passage in 2022. (By Global Times)

Train loaded with vehicles heads to Central Asia

A freight train carrying 261 vehicles made by a Chinese company departed from Shijiazhuang,bound for five Central Asian countries, the Shijiazhuang International Land Port said.It is the first double-deck train for transporting vehicles — called a longche or cage-train — to originate in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the port said.Each of the train's 29 compartments can carry nine to 10 automobiles, which can be driven directly onto the train, thus it greatly increases the efficiency of loading and unloading.The train will arrive in?Khorgos, a border port in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The vehicles will then be carried on trucks to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.（By?Chinadaily）

Ministry of Foreign Affairs organizes a visit to Chongqing

From March 20 to 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a visit to Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality for diplomatic envoys to China. The delegation of 26 diplomatic envoys consists of ambassadors posted in China from 13 countries of Albania, Luxembourg, Mauritania, Mali, Slovenia, Guinea-Bissau, Algeria, Yemen, Lesotho, Sudan, Botswana, Guinea, and Malta, as well as senior diplomats from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Syria, Morocco, and other countries. Special Representative Wu Hongbo of the Chinese Government on European Affairs accompanied them on the whole visit and on this trip, the diplomatic envoys attended the launch ceremony of China-Europe Railway Express.?

The diplomatic envoys spoke highly of the achievements made by Chongqing in its development, and expressed their readiness to actively promote exchanges and connectivity between their own country and Chongqing, and look forward to the continuously increased opening-up across China and more high-quality cooperation with other countries.(By Global Times)

In the first quarter,number of freight train in Guizhou increased by 148% year-on-year

On March 30, a train full of 55 standard containers left Guiyang International Land Port Dulaying Station and is expected to arrive in Elektrougli, Russia in 15 days. In the first quarter of this year, China-Europe freight train (Guizhou) launched a total of 16 trains, dispatched 880 standard containers, and transported 12,681 tons of goods. The shipment volume increased by 148% year-on-year compared with last year, achieving a stable growth in the export.

Since the China-Europe freight train (Guizhou) opened in November 2021, the channel has been continuously expanded and the types of goods transported have become increasingly rich, opening a new window for Guizhou to open to the outside world.Yan Chao, general manager of New Silk Road Intermodal(Sichuan)Co.,Ltd, said: "After more than a year of unremitting efforts, the development of?freight?trains?in?Guizhou has leapt to a new level. I believe that more remarkable achievements will be made in the future."

Adjustment of freight train operation diagram from April 1

From April 1, 2023, the national railways will implement a new train diagram. According?to?China Railway Nanchang Bureau Group Co., Ltd,they optimized and adjusted the train operation diagram according to the cargo transportation needs of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces, vigorously developed multimodal transportation, and provided high-quality transportation power for regional economic recovery.

In this adjustment, according to the forecast of the demand for cargo transportation due to the rapid economic recovery, the China Railway Nanchang Bureau Group Co., Ltd has added 11 regular freight express trains, including 7 multimodal transport trains and 4 regular express freight trains, to increase its capacity. Among the m, taking advantage of the intensive and efficient transportation organization model of sea-rail transport service, the company added 13 sea-rail combined service from Tangxi to Fuzhou Jiangyin Port, Ganzhou International Port to Xiamen Dongfu, Tieshanyang to Xiamen Gaoqi, etc..

Relief supplies arrive in disaster-stricken areas in Türkiye by China-Europe freight train

On March 29, as a train consisting of 50 containers and fully loaded with 10,000 earthquake-resistant rescue tents slowly rolled out, the first China-Europe?freight?train from Tianjin to Turkey departed smoothly. It will leave the country through the Alashankou Railway Port and head west Directly to Mersin, Turkey.In order to transport relief materials to the disaster area as soon as possible, considering factors such as the location of goods collection, structure of goods sources, transportation site, loading and unloading conditions, and transportation costs, the first train dispatched from Tianjin with the approval of the National Railway Group, and the follow-up earthquake relief materials will be undertaken.

Beijing’s?first?China-Europe freight train arrived?Moscow

On April 1, the China-Europe?freight?train?(Beijing-Moscow) of Jingping Integrated Logistics Hub arrived at Belerast Railway Station, Moscow. This is the first?freight?train from Beijing to go directly to Europe.?The train was fully loaded with 55 containers of building materials, home appliances, clothing and other goods. It departed from the Mafang Station of the Pinggu Local Railway in Beijing on March 16, exited the Manzhouli Railway Port in Inner Mongolia,and?arrived at Belerast Railway Station at 18:30 local time on the 1st. The whole journey is about 9,000 kilometers and takes 16 days, arriving two days earlier than expected.