Nippon Express (China) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “NX China”), a group company of Nippon Express Holdings, Inc., launched a new intermodal service on Friday, April 1, for transport from various locations in China to Europe via the Caspian Sea.

Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202205161226-O1-9OdBSM9q

Photo: CRE train cars at Xi'an terminal https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202205161226/_prw_PI2fl_9D9um0nG.jpg

Service features

- Cargo is transported by rail from numerous locations in China to Aktau, Kazakhstan, from there by ship across the Caspian Sea to Baku, Azerbaijan, and again by rail from Baku to Istanbul, Turkey, where it is transshipped to EU railways or trucks for delivery to locations throughout Europe.

- Lead time (example): approximately 50 to 55 days from Xi'an to Duisburg, Germany

- Service frequency: once per week

- This service can be used as a new BCP transport mode in addition to maritime and rail (China Railway Express) transport to Europe.

Background to service development

Logistics in China have been heavily impacted by the spread of COVID-19 infections as prolonged lockdowns in Shanghai have resulted in airport and seaport congestion, and trucking in the East China area connecting to Shanghai’s suburbs continues to face difficulties.

To maintain customers’ supply chains, NX China has been offering, in addition to its existing rail transport service on the China Railway Express, an intermodal transport service that combines rail transport in China with maritime transport along two routes it has developed -- (1) a northern route using Qingdao and Lianyungang ports and (2) a southern route using Ningbo and Wenzhou ports -- to avoid the congestion at Shanghai Port and Pudong Airport.

NX China has also developed a Caspian Sea route for transport from China to various parts of Europe via Kazakhstan to supplement the aforementioned intermodal transport service. This new service can be used as a BCP transport mode for Europe-bound cargo that does not pass through Russia.

Nippon Express website: https://www.nipponexpress.com/

NX Group's official LinkedIn account:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/