railway Freight wagon forges link between Xi'an and Kazakhstan

The international railway freight wagon Chang’an returned to Xi’an with goods for the first time on Saturday after delivering exports to Kazakhstan. CKD9C diesel locomotive  hauled the train from Dosluk station into Alashankoy port. The CKD9C locomotive was made by CRRC Ziyang Co., Ltd. Since 2006, CRRC Ziyang has delivered around 200 locomotives.

A ceremony marked the departure of the Chang’an train from Kazakhstan was held on March 20 after being loaded with 2,000 tons of grease.

Miao Hongbo, China’s deputy consul general to Almaty, said at the ceremony that the train’s return leg marked a significant improvement in cooperative ties between the two countries.

The grease from Kazakhstan is destined for Aiju Grain and Oil Industry Group. The group plans to build a base in Kazakhstan to produce flour and grease and rent land to grow raw materials. They also hope to import approximately 100,000 tons of grain from Kazakhstan annually.

The railway wagon has successfully returned to Xi’an from countries in Central Asia numerous times since its inaugural journey on Nov 28, 2013, but had previously returned empty.

The train’s main route is between the city of Xi’an’s International Trade and Logistics Park in Shaanxi province and Almaty, Kazakhstan. With 44 destinations across Central Asia on its port of call, it takes the railway vehicle six days to cover its entire 3,860-kilometer journey. The addition of the train has cut transportation costs by approximately 20 percent.

By Feb 29, the train had carried nearly 282,000 tons of goods, worth $290 million, from industrial raw materials and parts, to mechanical equipment, building materials, food and daily-use items. 30 percent of the goods came from Shaanxi province and other areas in China.

Meanwhile, the opening of an online e-commerce site and the recognition of Xi’an’s International Trade and Logistics Park’s railway container center as an open port have given the train new importance, since more goods and commodities will be required to be moved to central Asia. At the same time, China’s central government has given the park its approval as a meat and grain importing site.

With help from the Chang’an, the park hopes to become the biggest international distribution center along the Silk Road Economic Belt and increase trade between neighboring countries. Xi’an will be the starting point of the journeys.