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On October 25, the first container train of the new connection between Hamburg and Shanghai arrived fully loaded at the DUSS terminal in Hamburg-Billwerder. The new service enhances the already dense offering of train connections between Hamburg and China. The line is launched with a departure from Shanghai to Hamburg, with plans to increase the frequency.
(Hamburg) Starting from Hamburg’s partner city Shanghai, the new connection led the train through Kazakhstan (Alashankou), Belarus, and Poland (Małaszewicze) finally to Hamburg. The departure ceremony took place in the presence of two vice-mayors of Shanghai, ZHANG Wei and ZONG Ming. The Shanghai Express is operated by Shanghai Orient Silkroad Intermodal Co. Ltd.
Hamburg’s First Mayor, Peter Tschentscher, sees the new container train connection as a further strengthening of trade relations between Hamburg and China. “I am pleased that for the first time, a direct freight train connection between Hamburg and Shanghai has been put into operation.
Hamburg and Shanghai have been partner cities for 35 years. We cooperate particularly in trade and economics, but also in science and research, education, and culture. With the new container train connection, Hamburg and Shanghai are coming closer together. It is an important addition to the German-Chinese trade routes.”
Fully Loaded Maiden Voyage
The “Shanghai Express” embarked on its maiden voyage with fifty 40-foot containers, which included clothing, shoes, glassware, auto parts, photovoltaic technology, kitchen utensils, furniture, lamps, and other consumer goods. The chairman of the operator, TONG Jisheng, expects to offer the first return trip of a train from Hamburg to Shanghai in about a month.
In regular operation, initially, one train will depart weekly towards Hamburg, but in the long term, the frequency is expected to increase to two to three trips per week. According to the operator, departures are already fully booked until the end of the year. The Port of Hamburg handles around 2.4 million standard containers (TEU) annually in China traffic. Almost every third container that passes through the Hamburg port has its destination or origin in China.
Alternative to Sea and Air Freight
Rail transports offer an alternative to sea and air transport. Last year, over 230 marketed connections between Hamburg and 20 destinations in the People’s Republic were offered weekly. This year, additional connections from Shijiazhuang (Hebei Province) and Wuhei (Gansu Province) have been added. In 2020, approximately 107,000 TEU were transported by rail between China and Hamburg.
Since 2004, the ports in the metropolises of Hamburg and Shanghai have also been connected through a partnership. The good relationships with the players in sea transport have been extended to the trans-Eurasian railway connections thanks to the Hamburg representation on site.
Photo: © HHM/Catharina Pape / Image Caption: (l.to.r.): Hamburg’s Michael Economic Senator Westhagemann, Vice President of the Chinese Consulate General Wang, HHM Board Member Axel Mattern
