China has launched the first ever rail-sea multimodal transport line connecting Chengdu to Europe and Africa with Casablanca being the final destination.
The new line aims to increase exports of companies from western China to Africa while benefiting from the rising popularity of the China-Europe freight train services. The freight train, carrying mostly local products like textiles, left Chengdu in southwest China, at 10a.m. (CST) or 3a.m. (GMT+1) on Saturday, October 15. It will enroute Hamburg, Germany via the China-Europe Railway Express then by sea to its final destination Casablanca, Morocco, taking a total of 35 days.
Multimodal transportation
Multimodal transportation is a key component of modern logistics systems, especially for long-distance transnational transportation. The multimodal model was adopted to demonstrate alternative routes using various factors such as transport cost, transfer cost, transit time, transport distance, document charge, port congestion surcharge, customs charge, confidence index and so on.
The China-Europe freight train services has reported rapid growth. According to China State Railway Group, 15,000 trips was recorded last year. Through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has been investing heavily in Africa, utilizing the continent’s abundant natural resources and investment opportunities. Despite the pandemic and counter efforts from the west, China’s investment stock in Africa still managed to reach $47.35 billion in 2021.
“We should not underestimate the extent to which China’s investment-based diplomacy in Africa can reshape alliances,” Associate Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland John McCauley explains.
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