🌊 Hey, have you heard about the latest shake-up in global shipping? With the Red Sea crisis causing some serious waves, more and more freight forwarders are hopping on the 🚂 China-Europe Railway Express (CRE). It's like the world just rediscovered the Silk Road, but with high-speed trains! 🛤️
So, here's the deal: Since November, attacks in the Red Sea have made shipping through one of the world's busiest lanes a risky business. Shipping companies are facing delays and higher costs. 😓 But as they say, when one door closes, another opens. Enter the CRE, connecting China and Europe across land.
Kong Weidong, from T.H.I. Group in Zhengzhou, said that inquiries about the China-Europe freight train service have skyrocketed. \"Since January, the number of inquiries has soared more than tenfold, and the actual export volume of goods has increased by three to four times,\" he shared. 📈
The CRE isn't just a backup plan; it's becoming a star player in keeping global trade on track. The trains take about 12 to 18 days to reach European destinations from Chinese cities, costing around $6,500 per container. Not too shabby compared to the delays at sea! ⏱️
Big international logistics firms like DHL are jumping on board, showing great interest in new routes that combine rail and sea transportation. These routes pass through countries like Kazakhstan and Georgia before reaching European destinations. 🌍
Fu Cong, China's ambassador to the European Union, mentioned that around 60% of China’s exports to Europe used to rely on the Red Sea route. Now, 90% of those ships are detouring via the Cape of Good Hope, adding at least 12 days to their journey. Talk about a detour! 🛳️➡️🌍
With the CRE stepping up, it's acting like a stabilizer, ensuring that international supply chains keep moving despite the turmoil. Hannes Fellner from the University of Vienna said the CRE is playing that crucial role right now. 🤝
And it's not just about moving goods; it's about connecting people and economies. Fabio Massimo Parenti from the International Institute Lorenzo de' Medici pointed out that over 200 cities in Europe are benefiting from the CRE. That's a lot of cities getting their goods faster and more reliably! 🎯
By the end of February 2024, the CRE network had expanded to cover 219 cities across 25 European countries. It's clear that this rail network isn't just a trend; it's the future of freight between China and Europe. 🚀
So next time you're tracking a package from halfway around the world, it might just be taking the scenic route across Eurasia! 📦✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
