Huangshan, Xuancheng-Ningbo Zhoushan Port sea-rail combined trains achieve normal operation

On October 9th, a train carrying 18 standard containers filled with tea and auto parts departed from Huangshan Station in Anhui, making its way toward the Xiankouqiao Station in Xuancheng. Upon arrival, it merged with an additional 82 standard containers from Xiankouqiao and continued its journey to the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. This successful operation marked the launch of the “Huangshan-Xuancheng-Ningbo-Zhoushan Port” intermodal train service, affectionately dubbed the “Huang-Xuan Joint Train.” This service has been running regularly for two months, operating on a fixed schedule of two trains per week, and notably, it is the first intermodal service to achieve consistent operations at the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.

In the past, Huangshan’s export goods depended on irregular train services to reach Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, often facing an average transit time of 60 hours without a set schedule. As Huangshan’s foreign trade economy continued to grow, this traditional method of scattered freight was insufficient to meet the increasing logistical demands of local businesses.

To address this issue, the Xuancheng International Land Port’s business team collaborated with the Huangshan City Construction Investment Group, local government representatives, the Shanghai Railway Bureau, the Wuhu Transport Section, and the Nanjing Logistics Center. They established a routine communication mechanism through joint meetings focused on train operations, which strengthened their cooperation in freight organization, terminal operations, and vehicle coordination. This teamwork allowed for the effective consolidation of goods from both Xuancheng and Huangshan at the Xuancheng Xiankouqiao Station, paving the way for the Huang-Xuan Joint Train service officially launched in December 2023.

The joint train service significantly enhances logistical efficiency, improving it by approximately 30% when compared to the previous bulk transport approach, and offers greater convenience for businesses looking to ship their products.

Looking ahead, the Xuancheng International Land Port business team is keen to tackle any remaining bottlenecks and challenges tied to the Huang-Xuan Joint Train operations. Their goal is to increase service frequency to three times a week, aiming to create a more efficient and convenient export channel for the southern Anhui region. This initiative seeks to attract more companies to utilize the intermodal services at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port and foster collaborative industrial development throughout the Yangtze River Delta.