With a China Europe train slowly heading towards Belarus, the intelligent system in the cab of the gantry crane once again receives a new task: a domestic train loaded with cars is about to arrive. Song Jianghao and his colleagues immediately lifted their spirits and prepared to start a new round of busy work. At the beginning of 2024, Shijiazhuang International Inland Port will show a busy and dynamic scene, injecting new vitality and power into the joint construction of the the Belt and Road.

Smooth new arteries and expand the breadth of land port logistics channels

Since the opening of the first China Europe freight train on June 29, 2018, Shijiazhuang International Land Port has undergone rapid development and has been successfully approved as a national first-class railway logistics base, designated supervision site for imported grain, and bonded logistics center (B-type). It has become the core international land port for the regular opening of China Europe freight trains in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region.

The China Europe freight train that has just departed for Belarus is the 15th international train to depart from Shijiazhuang International Land Port since 2024.

"At present, Shijiazhuang International Land Port relies on the advantages of international freight trains operated in a standardized manner, connecting 8 export ports, opening up 17 international routes, covering 52 countries and regions, forming an international transportation artery that connects the Asia Europe continent." Ren Yongchang, Deputy General Manager of Shijiazhuang International Land Port Logistics Co., Ltd., introduced that in 2023, the annual operating number of China Europe freight trains at Shijiazhuang International Land Port will continue to be the first in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region.

Entering the container yard of Shijiazhuang International Land Port, thousands of colorful containers come into view. The containers are neatly stacked and arranged in rows, and a "+Shiou" train stops at the station, fully loaded and ready to depart.

Relying on this international transportation artery, Shijiazhuang International Land Port has cooperated with Xingtai, Beijing, Tianjin and other places, and has successively opened 9 "+Shiou" trains, including "Xingshiou", "Jingshiou", and "Jinshiou", to accelerate the export of high value-added characteristic high-quality products such as automotive parts, bearings, silk screens, and medicine in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region to overseas markets. At the same time, we will bring high-quality products such as zinc ingots, barley and timber from the Belt and Road partners back to China, and promote high-quality development of related industries in Beijing Tianjin Hebei region.

Led by the China Europe freight train, Shijiazhuang International Land Port has achieved seamless connection of the "Land Sea Silk Road" and global freight transportation. We have signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Tianjin Port, achieving regular operation of two trains per week and launching a new mode of single logistics for sea rail intermodal transportation. As a result, Shijiazhuang has become the first inland city in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region to achieve "one train to the end" international sea rail intermodal transportation. At the same time, Shijiazhuang International Land Port has also opened the first land sea new channel train in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region, providing new choices for enterprises to go abroad.

Developing the port industry and activating a new engine of economic transformation

Smooth logistics leads to smooth trade, and smooth trade leads to prosperous industries. The China Europe freight train, originating from Shijiazhuang International Land Port, has grown from scratch. As a logistics hub city in a land port country, Shijiazhuang's distribution capacity has rapidly increased, promoting its transformation from a "channel economy" to an "industrial economy".

"Now, the construction of key projects in the land port is accelerating, with the main focus on developing industries suitable for rail transportation such as bulk grain, agricultural production materials, non-ferrous metals, energy, etc., and accelerating the promotion of seven key projects with a total investment of 2.4 billion yuan." said Ma Tingting, Director of the Gaoyi Land Port Management Office.

Driving about 1 kilometer, the reporter arrived at the Shijiazhuang International Land Port Lingang Industrial Zone. In the cold wind, the bustling construction scene here echoes the busy scene of vehicles shuttling through the core area of the land port.

With the accelerated construction of key projects in the land port, the cross-border e-commerce trading center project with an investment of 230 million yuan has recently passed the completion acceptance, providing conditions for the gathering of suitable railway and port industry projects in the land port.

It is understood that the cross-border e-commerce trading center is one of the important infrastructure for Shijiazhuang International Land Port to develop railway friendly industries such as bulk grain, agricultural production materials, and energy. Relying on the cross-border e-commerce trading center project, Shijiazhuang International Land Port will focus on introducing well-known high-quality e-commerce platforms, layout import goods bonded warehouses in the bonded logistics center (B-type), achieve bonded warehousing of high-quality foreign goods in the land port, and improve the delivery efficiency and shopping experience of residents in Shijiazhuang and the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region when purchasing foreign goods.

"Accelerate the construction of 14 projects, including cold chain, B-guarantee, and Changshan Textile, to ensure the successful completion of annual investment targets." As the industrial projects in the park grow steadily, Han Yingzhao, Deputy General Manager of Hebei International Land Port Co., Ltd., is full of confidence in the development goals for 2024.

Policy assistance plays the progressive song of land port development

In recent years, Shijiazhuang International Inland Port has been deeply integrated into the construction of the national the Belt and Road. According to the general idea of "building a hub, a smooth channel, a strong port, promoting trade, gathering industries, and building a new city", the construction of Shijiazhuang International Inland Port has been promoted with high quality and standards, and a county-level freight station has been built into a national first-class railway logistics base, a land port type national logistics hub Multimodal transportation demonstration project.

In order to promote the prosperous development of modern commercial logistics industry, the provincial, municipal, and county governments have successively formulated relevant policies aimed at enhancing the strength of the industry. These policies not only involve the planning and layout of the logistics industry, but also encourage the introduction of commercial logistics projects, promote the development of bulk commodity trade, and expand foreign trade exports. Through these support and reward measures, the government fully supports Shijiazhuang International Land Port in achieving its goal of high-quality development. Editor/Zhao E