Next step for Eurasian land bridge
Container services on the China-Western Europe route are flourishing, and a new connection from Wuhan to Germany has come on stream. Commissioned by Bahnoperator and Trans Container, and in cooperation with Ust-Luga Container Terminal (ULCT), a subsidiary of Global Ports Group, and the Ruscon company, this traffic is routed through Mukran Port, transhipped and distributed to the European hinterland. The port is thus expanding its function as a hub for traffic to and from China, UK, Sweden and Central Europe.
From Wuhan, container trains carrying Chinese goods will run regularly to Ust-Luga via Manchuria and Zabaykalsk starting in March. The transit time through Russia will be nine days. In Ust-Luga, the containers will be transferred from the train to the Baltic Sea Bridge ships and taken to the port of Mukran. The total transit time is 19 days.
A special feature of the new route is the use of a uniform waybill. The document will be issued for the entire route of the cargo and will speed up container clearance at both borders and ports. (cd)