On August 26, Zhengzhou International Land Port marked a milestone as two inaugural "national first" freight trains departed simultaneously, heading for Laem Chabang in Thailand and Baku in Azerbaijan. This dual launch signals a significant breakthrough for Henan Province in strengthening its connectivity with ASEAN and advancing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor.
The first train, heading south, carried automotive components from SAIC Motor's Zhengzhou base. It departed from the China-Europe Railway Express (Zhengzhou) Assembly Center, passed through the Mohan border crossing, traversed Laos, and is scheduled to arrive at Thailand's Laem Chabang port in five to six days. This marks the debut of the China-Laos-Thailand scheduled fast freight service, cutting travel time by two to three days compared to previous similar services and nearly halving the duration of traditional sea freight. The new route offers greater reliability, reduced weather-related disruptions, and enhanced supply chain visibility.
A key feature of this service is its "factory-port linkage" model. The cargo source factory is located less than 50 kilometers from the assembly center, allowing for direct road transport within one hour. This enables rapid cargo consolidation and seamless connection, significantly boosting dispatch efficiency. As China-ASEAN trade continues to expand, this high-efficiency corridor is increasingly becoming a vital link for Chinese manufacturing to access Southeast Asian markets, promoting industrial collaboration and resource exchange across the region.
Almost simultaneously, at the eastern operation zone of Zhengzhou International Land Port, a second train comprising 55 containers loaded with auto parts and household appliances departed for Absheron, Baku, Azerbaijan. The shipment is valued at approximately 2.36 million US dollars and weighs around 370 tons. This is the first southern corridor China-Europe Railway Express (Zhengzhou-Baku) bill of lading train. Its core innovation lies in the deep integration of the CIFA international multimodal transport bill of lading with railway cargo documentation, enabling a single document to cover road, rail, and sea transport with full traceability and financial functionality.
Previously, the Trans-Caspian corridor faced challenges due to multiple transshipment points and fragmented documentation, hindering trade finance development. This service successfully implemented the NCD negotiable cargo document rules into a real-world operation, addressing the gap in title documents for land-based international trade. It provides a practical reference for other rail-sea intermodal projects across western, central, and eastern China, representing a significant advancement in documentation standards for the Trans-Caspian route and valuable experience for the nationwide "single document" initiative.
The simultaneous launch of these two national first services highlights Zhengzhou International Land Port's expanding multi-directional cross-border logistics network and its commitment to unlocking Henan's potential as a key hub for opening up. Going forward, the port will continue to focus on the core needs of enterprises expanding internationally, deepening the development of corridors connecting ASEAN, Europe, Central Asia, and Russia. It will also enhance its integrated service system for cargo distribution, customs clearance, and end-to-end transportation, providing robust and efficient logistics support for Henan's deeper integration into the Belt and Road Initiative.