[250517.EN.BIZ] DHL's Shenzhen-to-Minsk Rail Service Along 'Belt and Road' Route

DHL Global Forwarding has commenced a less-than-container load (LCL) and full container load (FCL) rail freight service that uses primarily transportation networks spanning Shenzhen, China to Minsk, Belarus, as part of its Asia-Europe multimodal network.

The service covers new overland connections to several major cities along the proposed route for China's 'One Belt, One Road" initiative.

The logistics provider is teaming up with China Brilliant, an integrated service provider in global manufacturing and consumption, to manage this Shenzhen-Minsk rail service.

CEO Steve Huang of DHL Global Forwarding in Greater China said in a company statement that this new service is targeted at the electronics, industrial and automotive parts, and fresh foods industries located in both Eastern Europe and China.

"Eastern Europe's economies are growing faster than almost any others worldwide, with significant export opportunities arising from the region's rising wages and disposable income levels," said Mr Huang.

"Minsk offers Chinese businesses an efficient gateway into the Baltic States and Nordic countries in addition to other major European destinations like Warsaw, Hamburg and Tilburg via Brest.

"With Shenzhen's economy exceeding expectations to grow by nine per cent last year, the route also opens sizable opportunities for European exporters looking to sell to one of China's most vibrant trade and business hubs, or use it as an important gateway to Southeast Asia and the rest of the Chinese consumer market."

Mr Huang continued: "Our newest route further supports strategic infrastructure projects designed especially to support the 'Belt and Road', such as the Great Stone Industrial Park, the largest joint project between China and Belarus that will span decades."

The new service, he said, also lays the groundwork for further rail connectivity to the Nordic and Middle Eastern states involved in China's "One Belt, One Road" transport and infrastructure initiative.

The new route will transit through the Alashankou-Dostyk rail juncture which already services several other multimodal services, including rail connections from Chengdu, Zhengzhou and Lianyungang to Europe.

As with its other "Belt and Road" routes, the Shenzhen-Minsk connection will offer customers real-time GPS tracking of containers and fully managed customs clearance.

"The partnerships that DHL has with governments and businesses globally, coupled with our market strength in Shenzhen-based supply chains, have come together to create a solution that directly meets the needs of China's expansion-hungry manufacturers and producers," added the founder of China Brilliant Group, Zhang Chunhua.

Details of the new rail route are as follows: The north corridor runs from Suzhou to Warsaw to connect China's engineering and manufacturing hubs to Europe in 14 days. The south corridor from Lianyungang and Chengdu to Istanbul, traverses Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as two sea transit segments, before arriving at Istanbul in 14 days.

The west corridor runs from Zhengzhou to Hamburg, Chengdu to Lodz and Shenzhen to Minsk. This connection will support Zhengzhou's electronics manufacturers, Chengdu's hi-tech and automotive industry, and Shenzhen's electronics and consumer industries by providing them with access into Europe.

As for sea transits, Japan, Korea and Taiwan is connected to China via ferry services for onwards journey to Europe, as well as Shanghai to Europe via Piraeus, Greece. The road connection links manufacturing bases in Vietnam to Europe via China.

Source : HKSG.