China's first express rail-sea intermodal train connecting southern Xinjiang in northwest China to the Yangtze River Delta in east China departed from Aksu on Monday, opening an efficient new corridor for Xinjiang's exports.
The train, loaded with cotton fabrics and other local products, will cross six provinces or regions to reach the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port on the east coast. Operating under a seamless "no container swapping, no transshipment" model, the service cuts transit time from more than 10 days to about five and slashes logistics costs by more than 20 percent per standard container.
Aksu produces more than 90 percent of China's long-staple cotton, yet geographical constraints previously forced more than 90 percent of its products to be exported westward through Central Asia. The new rail route gives southern Xinjiang's cotton textiles a stable, efficient gateway to global markets via the east coast.
China's first express rail-sea intermodal train from southern Xinjiang to Yangtze River Delta begins service
