Port sees 19.5% increase in sea-rail transportation

Freight trains loaded with containers stop in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

More than 1.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) had been shipped via the sea-rail combined transport model at Ningbo Zhoushan Port as of Dec 29, a year-on-year increase of 19.5 percent, official statistics show.

The sea-rail combined transport model refers to the mechanism where goods are first loaded onto trains to Ningbo before being transported overseas by sea, and vice versa.

To date, the port's sea-rail combined transport business covers 61 prefecture-level cities in 16 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions across the nation.

This year, it has expanded the business to six cities including Maanshan and Yancheng and opened freight lines to Yongkang and Zhuzhou.

In addition, the port has opened a freight line connecting itself with Ningbo North Railway Station and has launched a special port area in Yiwu. Goods transported by rail lines to the port area in Yiwu can undergo custom clearance procedures before being shipped overseas at Ningbo Zhoushan Port.

The ports' measures, including cementing ties with international shipping operators such as Maersk to ensure an ample supply of containers and launching customized services for big clients this year, have played a major role in the robust growth in the sea-rail transportation business.

The efforts to improve the port's operational efficiency have also contributed to the growth.

The port will in the future continue to enhance its sea-rail service capacity by tapping opportunities in inland cities, improving service quality and developing new business models.