MORE than 2000 freight trains have operated on the China - Europe eastern freight corridor in the first five months of this year, a record high following a period of steady growth.
The trains, using the Manzhouli, Suifenhe and Tongjiang transhipment terminals in China, have moved 210,000 TEU, a year-on-year increase of 6%.
The three terminals are operated by China Railway Harbin Bureau Group, which manages transhipment between China’s standard-gauge network and the 1520mm-gauge of Russia and other former Soviet countries.
Traffic volume of China - Europe trains via Suifenhe has recorded double-digit growth for five consecutive months. Manzhouli is the largest inland rail freight terminal in China and is currently investigating methods of improving transhipment speeds, including flexible working between inbound and outbound teams to dispatch trains as quickly as possible.
Tongjiangbei is the sixth rail freight terminal to accept China - Europe freight trains. Last month Heilongjiang province launched a new China - Europe freight service via Tongjiangbei, speeding up the transport of commercial road vehicles.
There are currently 24 services on the eastern corridor linking 14 European countries with more than 60 Chinese cities, carrying a wide variety of freight, including electrical products, household goods, industrial machinery and agricultural products.
