The new train between Ningbo-Zhoushan Port and Jiangxi province for rail-sea intermodal transport sets off on its first journey from the province's Xinyu city to the port on Nov 23. [Photo/zj.zjol.com]

A new cargo train route was launched on Nov 23 between Xinyu City, Jiangxi province and Ningbo-Zhoushan Port more than 700 kilometers away, with the first new train carrying 80 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of electronic devices, printer accessories and lamps produced by local companies. 

Upon arriving at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, cargo on the new train will be directly transported to Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States by ocean-going vessels, which marks a new milestone in rail-sea intermodal transport for Jiangxi and Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.

The train, running once a week currently, adopts one-stop services for the customs clearance of cargo and sends it directly to the port, reducing the time for cargo to travel from Xinyu city to the port from the previous duration of three or four days by ship to around 30 hours. 

"Cargo transacted via the rail-sea intermodal transport between the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port and Jiangxi province reached 79,000 TEUs last year, accounting for one fifths of the port's total," said an executive from the port, adding that the new train route, plus the existing two train routes, have helped the port develop a complete rail-sea intermodal transport network in the province, and made it an important hub for the province to connect with countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.