TransContainer and Maersk have launched a new container train between China and Russia. It connects the Chinese city of Dalian, Liaoning Province, with the Russian town of Vorotynsk, Kaluga region. The new service is focused on the delivery of automotive parts and fully assembled cars.

The pilot train from Dalian arrived at Vorotynsk railway station on 18 July. It ran via the Trans-Siberian railway in seven days. The conventional sea route takes 18 days or more. The pilot train consisted of 50 forty-foot containers loaded with the unassembled parts of 150 cars (three cars per container). All details were revealed by Brilliance China Auto, the Chinese automobile manufacturer headquartered in Shenyang. The Russian media Chinese cars reported that the train delivered to Russia 150 fully assembled subcompact crossovers Brilliance V3.

“The collaboration with Maersk is an example of a modern integrated logistics service that satisfies the customers’ demands for high speed and reliability of transportation. Owning the largest fleet of flatcars in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and a developed terminal network, TransContainer is actively expanding the geography of its business. Organising railway deliveries of auto parts from Asian countries via Russia has already proved its efficiency, high speed and safety”, CEO of TransContainer Viacheslav Saraev said.

Maersk seeks alternative

The pilot Dalian – Vorotynsk container train is the first rail freight service launched by Maersk to deliver the auto parts from China to Russia. Earlier, the company used only its shipping lines. Maersk and TransContainer intend to develop mutual cooperation. The companies said that the new container train will become a regular service by the year’s end.

“We are confident that this transport route between Northeast China and Central Russia, which we are developing in partnership with TransContainer, will be able to provide our Russian and foreign customers with stable transit time and a high level of service. The new train offers an excellent alternative for cargo owners who are interested in the expedited delivery. It will be able to organically complement the Maersk range of services as a global integrator of container logistics on the Russian market”, Managing Director of Maersk for Eastern European Area Zsolt Katona noted.

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