With the increasing frequency of trade between China and Europe, the demand for transportation of China Europe freight trains is also constantly increasing. In this context, on January 31, 2024, the first BX1K railway refrigerated dedicated train set test train operated by Shandong High Speed Group, Shandong China Europe Railway, successfully departed from the SCO Demonstration Zone. This innovative measure marks significant progress in building a new international cold chain transportation channel in Shandong Province. The launch of the new logistics service product of "train+cold chain" not only enhances the international competitiveness of Shandong's cold chain products, but also promotes the integrated development of the industrial chain and supply chain, injecting new impetus into the construction of a leading area for green, low-carbon, and high-quality development in Shandong Province.

This train is jointly organized by Shandong High Speed Qilu Eurasian Train Operation Co., Ltd. and China Railway Special Freight Logistics Co., Ltd. It is an important achievement of the pilot cold chain logistics model of the China Europe train. The train carries frozen food produced by enterprises within Shandong Province, departs from the multimodal transportation center of the Shanghai Cooperation Demonstration Zone, exits through the Manzhouli Port, and is expected to arrive at the Seryadino Station in Moscow, Russia in 18 days.

It is reported that the BX1K railway refrigerated special train set consists of 8 containers and 1 power generation box, which can sustain power supply and refrigeration for 300 hours. It can carry refrigerated and insulated transportation goods from -30 ℃ to 30 ℃, breaking the limitation of traditional cold chain containers requiring built-in generators. It has significant advantages in constant temperature transportation, reducing energy consumption and cargo loss, and ensuring the quality of cold chain goods. Shandong is a major province in the production and consumption of vegetables, fruits, and meat products, with a complete and mature fresh food production, processing, and sales industry chain. The opening of such trains provides a new logistics solution for the fresh food import and export industry in the province. Compared with traditional sea transportation methods, the transportation time is shortened by more than 20 days, which can further enhance the international market competitiveness of Shandong's cold chain products, accelerate the integration of industrial and supply chains, and help promote the construction of a green, low-carbon, and high-quality development pilot zone in our province.

Recently, the Shandong Provincial Government issued the "Opinions on Supporting the High Quality Development of China Shanghai Cooperation Organization Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zones", which emphasizes supporting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization demonstration zones to strengthen the construction of multimodal transportation channels and encouraging innovative development of new businesses such as cross-border e-commerce and cold chain characteristic trains.

As the main operator of the Shandong China Europe freight train, Shandong Expressway Group plans to further explore the train+business model, increase product innovation and research and development efforts, and actively promote the development of new business formats such as train+cross-border e-commerce, train+cold chain. This measure aims to promote the export of Shandong manufacturing and the import of high-quality foreign products, contributing to the construction of a new highland for opening up in Shandong Province. Editor/Zhao E