On June 2, a batch of steel storage cabinets arrived at Lianyungang Port from Zhengzhou via a rail-sea intermodal route. The cargo will be directly transferred onto vessels for shipment to Indonesia. This marks the launch of Henan's third rail-sea intermodal route, following the routes from Zhengzhou to Qingdao Port and to Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. The new route is bound to further strengthen the connection between Zhengzhou and China's coastal gateways.
The new route was jointly launched by Central China Land-Sea International Multimodal Transport Zhengzhou Co Ltd and Lianyungang Port Group, with support from Zhengzhou Railway Customs, CR Intermodal Zhengzhou Terminal and other stakeholders. It not only offers foreign trade enterprises a new logistics option that is stable, eco-friendly and efficient, but also further strengthens the role of Zhengzhou as a China Railway Express consolidation hub by improving its integrated hub-and-spoke logistics network.
Unlike traditional rail-sea intermodal transport, the direct rail-sea model connects railway ports with seaports through integrated systems and shared information platforms, enabling automated customs transfer and seamless clearance for export goods. Zhengzhou was the first city in China to adopt this model, pioneering its implementation nationwide. By streamlining customs declaration and inspection procedures, the system boosts logistics efficiency. Compared with the conventional road-sea transport model, direct rail-sea shipping can cut costs by about 25%, and it shortens transit time by 1 to 2 days compared to traditional rail-sea intermodal transport.
Since its rollout in April 2024, Henan's direct rail-sea transport model has handled 36 shipments totaling over 1,150 tons, with destinations spanning Italy, Greece, Thailand, and beyond. The cargo rangehas expanded from aluminum foil and leather goods to include vehicles and auto parts. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Wang Yanhui and Wang Ge Translator: Yang Jiaxin Proofreader: Li Wenjing and Zhao Hanqing)
