Cargo train service to Europe faces long backlog for exports

Driven by booming demand for Chinese goods abroad that has squeezed the capacity of sea transport and pushed up air cargo rates due to the pandemic, China- Europe long distance freight trains are running at full capacity so some goods have to wait until February for shipment.

With Christmas approaching, demand for freight trains between China and Europe remains robust. However, due to strengthened pandemic control measures at the ports and adverse weather conditions, handling capacity at some ports has been reduced, as some routes are moving slowly, according to the China Railway.

A reported order from China Railway suggested that due to the large stockpiles of export- bound goods at border- crossing ports, the goods will be suspended from loading starting from 6 pm on Sunday to 6 pm on Wednesday.

Manzhouli and Erlian, in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Alashankou port in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, are included on the list of suspensions.

A source close to the Manzhouli port confirmed to the Global Times on condition of anonymity on Monday that some trains have a backlog due to limited transport and reloading capacity on the Russian side.

“There is a certain backlog of goods at the Manzhouli station, and these goods have not been declared,” the source said.

Soaring export orders have caused severe shortages of containers and air cargo rates have surged, so the railway that stretches across the Asian and European continents has injected strong impetus in boosting cross- border flows of goods and services.

China- Europe freight trains continued to operate at a high frequency in November, running 1,238 services, up 64 percent, with delivery of 20- foot- equivalent containers up 73 percent yearon- year, according to China Railway.