Kerry Logistics starts UK-China rail service
In this article (5)
Kerry Logistics Network participated in the commencement ceremony of the first eastbound freight train from London to Yiwu with the support of a long-standing customer for this service. The project is not only a significant step forward in the Group’s development strategy in line with the ‘One Belt One Road’ Initiative, but also a strategic move advancing the Group’s further expansion into the rail freight and multimodal services.
The train, which departed on 10 April 2017 from London, is scheduled to arrive eastern China’s Yiwu in around 18 days. The 7,500-mile journey will pass through nine countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan. The freight cost is lower than that of air and ocean freight, while it is twice as fast as ocean transport.
In August 2016, Kerry Logistics delivered a rail freight shipment of over 80 containers from Yiwu to Madrid, Spain, passing through eight countries in 19 days.
London is the 15th European city and the latest destination added to the China-Europe rail network under the Belt and Road Initiative. The first freight train from Yiwu to London launched on 1 January 2017 took 18 days. It was mainly for carrying clothes, shoes and other consumer goods made in China.
William Ma, group managing director of Kerry Logistics, said, “We are extremely excited to be the first Asia-based global 3PL to move eastbound freight from Europe along the One Belt One Road trade route, turning part of the roadmap into reality. We are committed to developing an overland transportation network for road, rail and multimodal freight services in China to Central Asia and Europe. We will leverage our global international freight forwarding network to provide end-to-end and cost-effective logistics solutions to connect China with Europe and Asia via air, road, rail and sea.”
Kerry Logistics will continue to develop under the Belt and Road Initiative to create new form of transportation models, offering more options to customers across various industry segments.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the primary objective of Kerry Logistics' involvement in this new rail service?
What is the primary objective of Kerry Logistics' involvement in this new rail service?
The project is a significant step in the Group's development strategy under the 'One Belt One Road' Initiative. It also represents a deliberate step to expand the Group's rail freight and multimodal services.
Q.How does the new rail service compare to existing transport methods in terms of speed and cost?
How does the new rail service compare to existing transport methods in terms of speed and cost?
The freight cost for the rail service is lower than air and ocean freight. Also, the journey time is twice as fast as ocean transport, offering a quicker alternative.
Q.Which countries does the eastbound train journey pass through from London to Yiwu?
Which countries does the eastbound train journey pass through from London to Yiwu?
The 7,500-mile journey passes through nine countries. These include France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan, before reaching Yiwu in eastern China.
Q.What type of goods were primarily transported on the first westbound freight train from Yiwu to London?
What type of goods were primarily transported on the first westbound freight train from Yiwu to London?
The first freight train that travelled from Yiwu to London mainly carried clothes, shoes, and other consumer goods. It demonstrated the network's capacity for various retail products.