On September 8, on the occasion of the 26th China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT), the 8th Silk Road Maritime International Cooperation Forum was held in Xiamen City, Fujian Province. Zhao Long, governor of Fujian Province, delivered the opening address. Yu Hongsheng, vice governor of Hunan Province, and Wang Yongli, executive vice governor of Fujian Province, jointly announced the official launch of the Hunan-Fujian Silk Road Maritime Rail-Sea Intermodal Transport Corridor, one of the two major outcomes released at the forum.

Since the high-level talks between Hunan and Fujian provinces this May, the two sides have pursued cooperation in the following areas: shipping Hunan goods via Xiamen, sharing platforms, and boosting foreign trade. Both sides have incorporated the Hunan-Fujian Silk Road Maritime Rail-Sea Intermodal Transport Corridor into the joint development of Hunan's five major international logistics channels. The Zhuzhou-Xiamen rail-sea intermodal train service will initially operate at a frequency of one or two train trips per week, with two-way operations expected next year.

The Hunan-Fujian Silk Road Maritime Rail-Sea Intermodal Transport Corridor will provide three major benefits for Hunan enterprises’ going global:

First, the corridor will benefit from multiple layers of policy support. It is eligible for Fujian Province's "Silk Road Maritime" port and shipping development policies, municipal pilot policies for rail-sea intermodal transport and multimodal "one-bill" coverage mechanism in cities such as Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Quanzhou, as well as Hunan Province's southward channel rail-sea intermodal support policies.

Second, the corridor will operate with efficient models. By adopting models such as "scheduled freight trains + ocean liner services" and "local customs declaration + expedited clearance," the corridor will achieve seamless intermodal transport, one-stop inland customs clearance, and rapid global delivery of goods.

Third, a comprehensive service system will take shape. By connecting railways and ports, reducing railway freight rates, waiving terminal handling charges, and providing green channel services, these measures can save enterprises 20%-30% in costs and reduce transit time by 5-7 days.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Yu Jiangjiang

Chinese source: Hunan Daily