To Avoid Maritime Congestion丨The Normal Operation of China Railway Express (CRE) Chang'an International Freight Train, Meidong Route Brings New Choice for Clients

On August 29, 2021, the seventh CRE Chang'an International Freight Train Meidong route (Xi'an-New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston) has been put into operation. Since its first shipment, the train, full-loaded with 50 containers has started from Xi'an. It travels through various countries in Eurasia and across the Atlantic and finally arrives at the east coast of the United States, taking 35 days to finish the whole journey. The dispatched train indicates the normal operation of the CRE Chang'an International Freight Train Meidong route.

This route has not only connected the central and western part of China with the eastern coast of North America but also innovatively changed the mainstream maritime transportation, the traditional logistics transportation mode, applied in the trade between China and the US for years.

This train is from the "Land Bridge" rail-sea intermodal transportation products developed and tested by ITL Group in February this year. Previously, the exported goods from the central and western part of China to North America would be delivered to Qingdao Port or Shanghai Port at the eastern coast first. Then the goods would be shipped to ports on the western coast of the US across the Pacific Ocean and wait for the unloading process. Later, the goods would be delivered to different cities on the eastern coast by railway or expressway. This route is known as "Minor Land Bridge Transportation". Sometimes, the goods would be delivered from ports at home to cross the Pacific Ocean, Panama Canal to different cities on the eastern coast of North America.

With the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, the demand for international trade done by maritime transportation has been significantly impacted, resulting in problems such as the shortage of port equipment, change of transportation routes, collection of the special surcharge and the increase in freight. Moreover, due to the import volume of the US hits a record high, there is severe congestion in the inland multi-modal transportation as well as a heavy burden on the railway network.

To cope with the reality, ITL Group has innovatively launched the first "Land Bridge" rail-sea intermodal transportation solution in the world. The new land-sea trade corridor, crossing the Central European continent as well as the Atlantic Ocean has successfully connected the central and western part of China and the eastern coast of North America in a cost-effective and time-saving way.

There are three features in CRE Chang'an international freight train Meidong route (Xi'an-New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston):

Firstly, the whole journey saves more time. The brand-new "Land Bridge" rail-sea intermodal transportation solution starts the journey from Xi'an and finally arrives at ports at the eastern coast of the US (New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston), which completely avoids the congestion in ports of the western coast of the US and the uncertainties freighters may confront in Panama Canal. In this way, time spent on transportation can be greatly reduced. Secondly, containers and shipping space will not be in shortage. ITL Group works together with the Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) to provide services related to containers and shipping. With our developed operation, we will ensure a stable supply of containers and shipping space for clients so as to free their minds of apprehension. Thirdly, the whole journey is in shipping containerization. The switch from standard gauges to broad gauges of the Meidong route can be finished in the shortest time at the border of China, which saves time before entering the railway system in Europe. The whole journey is in containerization without the need to change containers halfway, maximizing the safety of goods in an efficient way.

CRE Chang'an international freight train Meidong route (Xi'an-New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston) now has become the CRE China-Europe Public Trains which runs weekly to set up a bridge between Asia, Europe and North America to offer more efficient China Railway Express services for clients and customers in the eastern coast of the US.

In the near future, ITL Group will further improve and optimize the operation of the China Railway Express (CRE) Chang'an international freight train. With the more efficient operation, ITL Group actively participates in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to build the inland reform and opening-up pioneer area. We also strive to set up a comprehensive nationwide circulation as mainstream and further contribute to the establishment of the domestic and international dual circulation model for mutual development.