“暗战”在新丝路上的物流班列

□ 文/本刊记者 唐纲

“暗战”在新丝路上的物流班列

□ 文/本刊记者 唐纲

两千年前，驼铃阵阵中，古丝绸之路成了一条震古烁今的世界级贸易走廊。如今，在现代交通驱动下，丝绸之路经济带正成为横贯亚欧大陆、世界上最长、最具发展潜力的经济大走廊。

为了抢占新丝绸之路经济带的先机，目前国内已有多个城市开通了欧洲货运班列，如重庆、成都、郑州、西安、兰州、武汉等，它们在关检、温控措施、回程货源等方面暗暗“较劲”，各施杀手锏，形成了浩浩荡荡的“物流大军”。

“蓉欧快铁”刚运行一年

作为“丝绸之路经济带”物流项目的先行者——成都至波兰的“蓉欧国际快速铁路”（蓉欧快铁）截至4月27日已运行整一周年。这期间，快铁准点达到率99%，共搭载来自全国各地出口欧洲的货物8292.6吨，成为了名符其实的中欧间物流新通道。

成都海关办公室负责人介绍，自去年4月27日开行首班快铁以来，“蓉欧快铁”共开行45班，搭载标箱3704个，实现货值1.56亿美元。货源地覆盖西南、华南、华东等多个地区。

据介绍，”蓉欧快铁”运行一年来，不仅呈现出运行时间稳定、发车时间固定、搭载货物种类多、参与企业地区多、服务保障措施多等特点。该快铁完全实现了确保货物14天准时抵达欧洲、1－3天送达客户，准点率高达99%。

“蓉欧快铁”从成都青白江集装箱中心站出发，经新疆阿拉山口出境，途经哈萨克斯坦、俄罗斯、白俄罗斯等国直达波兰罗兹站，线路全长9826公里（其中成都至阿拉山口3511公里，阿拉山口至罗兹6315公里），运行时间为14天，然后通过欧洲铁路、公路网络分送至欧洲任何地方。

成都认为，“迅捷”、“价优”的比较优势是蓉欧快铁能够获得众多企业认可的两张王牌：蓉欧快铁比目前的其他货运班列节省8-10天，比海运节约1个月以上，而运输成本仅为空运的1/8至1/4。

据成都亚欧班列物流有限公司相关负责人透露，蓉欧快铁将争取在今年上半年正式实现双向对开。旺季时争取每周发两列，运行时间也将从现在的14天缩短到12天以内。

蓉欧快铁还推出了铁路运输温控服务，解决了长期以来在严冬和酷夏的数个月中，热敏产品无法通过高效、经济的西部洲际铁路走廊实现运输的问题。从今年开始，四川成都的电脑、波兰的牛肉、法国的红酒，将不惧严寒和酷暑，在蓉欧快铁上全年无休地流动。

“郑欧班列”开行27班列

2014年农历春节刚过完，从德国汉堡发车的郑欧返程班列，满载着欧洲制造的汽车原配件和动车、高铁钢板驶进郑州铁路集装箱中心站，将河南与丝绸之路经济带新紧密联系在一起。

郑欧国际铁路货运班列的开通，让河南激活了丝绸之路经济带的源头活水。截至5月7日，郑欧班列已累计成功开行27班班列，货重达到18469.11吨，货值1.1143亿美元，目的地覆盖欧洲12个国家32个城市。

郑欧班列打通了国际铁路大通道。在这样的战略谋划下，郑州乃至河南将在丝绸之路经济带建设中做足文章。

兰州：发力“陆上通道”

据记者了解，正在加快建设的银川至西安快速铁路项目，以及包(头)兰(州)线银川至兰州段的改造工程等多个工程，将实现宁夏与陇海线、兰新线(亦即新欧亚大陆桥的国内部分)的全面衔接，这将构成宁夏向西开放的“陆上通道”。

“汉新欧”：停了一年后再次开行

4月23日上午，“汉新欧”铁路国际货运班列常态化运营首发仪式在武汉铁路集装箱中心站举行，此举标志着武汉在实施“丝绸之路经济带”和推进向西开放战略迈出坚实一步。

“汉新欧”铁路从武汉出发，经新疆阿拉山口口岸出境，进入哈萨克斯坦、俄罗斯、白俄罗斯和波兰，终点到捷克。

2012年，“汉新欧”铁路曾经开行，后因故停运。这次是其停运一年后的再次开行。

西安“长安号”开至中亚

2013年11月28日上午，首列西安至中亚的“长安号”从西安国际港务区缓缓开出，6天后抵达哈萨克斯坦阿拉木图。“长安号”的开行，推动了丝绸之路的物流贸易，成为“丝绸之路经济带”的黄金干线。

西安国际港务区管委会主任强晓安介绍，“长安号”从西安出发，沿陇海兰新线一路向西，途经新疆，抵达哈萨克斯坦。目前，“长安号”采取“一干两支”的开行路线（西安—鹿特丹、西安—莫斯科、西安—阿拉木图），以及分两期实施的开行规划（西安—中亚、西安—欧洲）。

渝新欧：已在欧洲设立联络处

5月23日，渝新欧回程班列推介会暨重庆市政府物流协调办公室驻欧洲联络处成立揭牌仪式在德国杜塞尔多夫中国中心举行。重庆市政府物流协调办公室驻欧洲联络处的成立，标志着渝新欧国际物流大通道建设跨入了新的历史阶段。

渝新欧全程11000公里，实际运行时间为16天左右，比海运快40天。其中，口岸和站场滞留时间不超过60小时，通关时间12小时，货物在口岸的滞留时间仅占全程运输时间的17%，远低于亚欧大陆桥“北线”的30%-50%。

渝新欧班列服务范围辐射了中国华东、华南、西南、华中以及台港澳地区。从2011年1月28日首趟渝新欧列车成功开行以来，截至目前，渝新欧货物运输总量为1万多标箱，占整个经阿拉山口出入境的中欧班列的80%，开行频率为每周3-4班。去年，重庆转口货运量占比达到50%，渝新欧正在成为国家战略的重要支撑。

重庆市政府物流协调办公室驻欧洲联络处的成立，将进一步促进渝新欧回程班列的集货和渝新欧国际联运大通道在欧洲的双向开行，进一步降低运行成本，提高其竞争力。同时，还将陆续推进在比利时、荷兰、匈牙利、波兰、俄罗斯等国家设立货物集结中心，建立“渝新欧”回程货源的集货渠道，拓宽回程货的货源品种。

5月26日，重庆市政府物流协调办公室驻比利时办事处挂牌。此举将更好地促进中国和欧洲经贸的发展，组织吸引更多的比利时和欧洲企业关注渝新欧，把欧洲的高端产品运到重庆，再分拨到全国各地。

Cargo Trains Compete along the Silk Road in an Invisible Contest

Two millenniums ago, the Silk Road formed an extremely impressive world-class trade corridor amid the sounds of camel bells. As modern transport facilities develop, the Silk Road economic belt is turning into the world's longest and most promising grand economic corridor, which traverses the Eurasian continent.

To gain first-mover advantages along the new Silk Road, quite a number of Chinese cities have launched cargo trains that travel all the way to Europe, for example, Chongqing, Chengdu, Zhengzhou, Xi'an, Lanzhou, and Wuhan. They are making allout efforts in an invisible contest to see who is the winner in areas like customs inspection, temperature regulation measures, and backhaul cargo sources. This has given rise to an overwhelming logistic army.

Chengdu-Europe Railway has run for just over a year

As a forerunner in the logistics project for the Silk Road economic belt, Chengdu-Europe Railway between Chengdu and Poland had been in operation for a whole year as of April 27. During this period of time, 99% of the trains arrived on time, carrying altogether 8292.6 metric tons of cargo exported from various parts of China to Europe and living up to its intended position as a new logistic channel between China and Europe.

According to the head of Chengdu Customs Offi ce, Chengdu-Europe Railway has run 45 trips carrying USD 156 million-worth of cargo in 3704 standard containers. The cargo was from multiple areas, like Southwest China, South China, and East China.

Chengdu-Europe Railway posted a good track record during its fi rst year of operation: fi xed departure times, stable operation durations, diversity in types of cargo, large numbers of enterprises and regions involved, adequate services and guarantees etc. All cargo arrived in Europe in 14 days and was delivered to clients 1 to 3 days later. 99% of the trains arrived on time.

The train departs from Chengdu's Qingbaijiang central container station and leaves China via Alashankou in Xinjiang. It travels through multiple countries including Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus and finally arrives in Lodz of Poland. The whole trip is 9826 kilometers long (3511 kilometers from Chengdu to Alashankou and 6315 kilometers from Alashankou to Lodz). Cargo can be distributed to any part of Europe through Europe's railway and road networks.

Chengdu believes that the trump cards that have won Chengdu-Europe Railway recognition from so many enterprises are speed and cost-effectiveness. Chengdu-Europe Railway is 8 to 10 days faster than its competitors and over one month faster than shipping lines. It costs only 1/8 to 1/4 as much as air transport.

According to executives of Chengdu Asia-Europe Railway Logistics Co., Ltd., the company will try to offi cially launch twoway operation in the fi rst half of this year. During peak seasons, it will try to run two trains each week, and the whole duration will be cut to 12 days or less.

Chengdu-Europe Railway has rolled out temperatureregulated transport services to end the situation where extreme weather makes it impossible to transport thermo-sensitive products through this effi cient and cost-effective intercontinental corridor. Starting from this year, computers from Chengdu, beef from Poland, and wine from France will be able to travel along Chengdu-Europe Railway all year around, protected against chilly winters and burning summers.

Zhengzhou-Europe Railway returns with hope

Shortly after the Spring Festival of 2014, a train of Zhengzhou-Europe Railway departing from Hamburg of Germany arrived at Zhengzhou central railway container station, fully loaded with European-made auto parts and steel plates for manufacturing multi-unit trains and high-speed trains. Zhengzhou-Europe Railway connects Henan to the Silk Road economic belt.

Zhengzhou-Europe Railway has provided an opportunity for Henan to activate its economy by benefiting from the Silk Road economic belt. Until May 7, 27 trains had run on Zhengzhou-Europe Railway, carrying 18469.11 metric tons of cargo worth USD 111.43 million. The cargo destinations were 32 cities in 12 countries.

Zhengzhou-Europe Railway is an international railway artery, which provides a strategic opportunity for Zhengzhou and, for that matter, the whole province of Henan, to make the most of the Silk Road economic belt.

Changan trains from Xi'an have reached Central Asia

On the morning of November 28, 2013, the first Changan train departed from Xi'an International Trade & Logistics Park and would arrive in Almaty of Kazakhstan 6 days later. This railway would promote logistics along the Silk Road and become a golden route for the Silk Road economic belt.

According to Qiang Xiaoan, Director of Xi'an International Trade & Logistics Park Management Committee, Changan trains currently have one main line and two branch lines (Xi'an-Rotterdam, Xi'an-Moscow, and Xi'an-Almaty). There are two phases: Xi'an-Central Asia for the fi rst phase and Xi'an-Europe for the second phase.

Lanzhou is working to build a land artery

Based on information your correspondent obtained, the Yinchuan-Xi'an high-speed railway, the renovation of the Yinchuan-Lanzhou section on the Baotou-Lanzhou railway, and a bunch of other projects under expedited construction will fully connect Ningxia to the Lianyungang-Lanzhou Railway and the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway, which is the new Eurasian Continental Bridge's section in China. This will provide Ningxia with a land artery that leads west.

Wuhan-Xinjiang-Europe Railway has been reopened after being closed for one year

On the morning of April 23, a ceremony was held at Wuhan central railway container station to mark the departure of the first train in regular international cargo services on the Wuhan-Xinjiang-Europe Railway. This was one of Wuhan's steady steps towards building the Silk Road economic belt and opening up to regions to its west.

The Wuhan-Xinjiang-Europe Railway starts from Wuhan and leads out of China via Alashankou. It then goes through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, and Poland to reach the terminus --the Czech Republic.

Wuhan-Xinjiang-Europe Railway was first opened in 2012 and later closed due to some reasons. It has now been reopened after being closed for one year.

Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway has set up a liaison offi ce in Europe.

On May 23, an event was held in Dusseldorf China Center, Germany to promote cargo services provided by trains returning to Chongqing on Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway and to inaugurate the European Liaison Office of the Logistic Coordination Office under the Chongqing government. The Liaison Offi ce marks the beginning of a new historical phase in the construction of Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe international logistic artery.

Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway is 11,000 kilometers long. A one-way trip takes around 16 days, 40 days shorter than shipping. During the trip, less than 60 hours is spent waiting at ports and operation yards, and 12 hours is spent on customs clearance. The time spent waiting at ports accounts for only 17% of the whole trip, as opposed to 30% to 50% on the north line of the Eurasian Continental Bridge.

Cargo services provided by trains on Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway cover East China, South China, Southwest China, Central China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Since the first train ran on January 28, 2011, Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway has carried altogether over 10 thousand TEUs of cargo, which accounts for 80% of the entire amount carried by all China-Europe trains that have gone through Alashankou, and the operation frequency has been kept at three or four trains per week. Last year, Chongqing's entrepot cargo volume reached 50% of its total cargo volume. Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway is turning into an important prop for China's strategy of development.

The European Liaison Office of the Logistic Coordination Office under the Chongqing government will facilitate cargo collection for trains returning from Europe and push for two-way operation on Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway. These efforts will cut costs and raise competitiveness. Meanwhile, the Liaison Offi ce will set up cargo collection centers in multiple countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, and Russia to explore a diversity of sources of cargo for backhaul trains.

On May 26, the Belgian Offi ce of the Logistic Coordination Office under the Chongqing government was inaugurated. This move will give impetus to China-Europe trade and get more Belgian and European enterprises to be interested in Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway, transporting upmarket European products to Chongqing, from where they are distributed across China..