Qingdao intermodal growth surges 79pc in first half

Qingdao port's first half intermodal container volume hit 72,700 TEU with sea-rail movements surging by 79.4 per cent compared to the same period last year with port authorities predicting that the figure will double by the end of 2007.

More than 17,000 TEU were transported by rail between Qingdao and Xian, representing a jump of 77 per cent. Those carried between Qingdao and Zhengzhou rose 68 per cent by 17,000 TEU. Boxes carried between the port city and Xinjiang soared 82 per cent to 12,900 TEU. Those carried between Qingdao and Taiyuan soared 214 per cent to 11,000 TEU.

Xinhua News Agency said three factors were largely responsible. First, customs clearance was eased with Qingdao co-operating with customs in seven inland cities, including Lanzhou, Xian, Taiyuan, Zhengzhou, Shijiazhuang, Hefei and Wuhan. This provided new trade from inland cargo sources.

Second, upgraded rail capacity has resolved the bottleneck for Qingdao's sea-rail intermodal transport service. Later, the Qingdao Port Group bought two trains with a total of 100 cars and deployed them on the Qingdao-Xian line. Besides, new speed acceleration of the national railways this year has enhanced capacity and efficiency.

Finally, there has also been a substantial increase in trade volume with Japan, Korea, India, southeast Asian countries to central Asia through Qingdao, which contributed greatly to the sharp growth of the port's sea-rail intermodal volume.