China completes first single-document sea-rail combined cargo transport

China's first single-document sea-to-rail freight train, laden with commercial vehicles and auto parts from South Korea, arrived at Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Friday. This marks a significant leap in the country's international logistics efficiency. The goods will then be transported to Kyrgyzstan from Kashgar.

The cargo originated at Incheon Port in South Korea, arriving at Yantai in Shandong province via a 14-hour sea journey. After swift unloading, customs clearance, and rail loading, the goods were transported by train from Yantai Port on May 14 to Kashgar.

The single-document system allows seamless coordination between international shipping and domestic rail transport under one unified freight document, eliminating excessive paperwork. The total transit time from South Korea to Kyrgyzstan is slashed from 25 days to 12.

Previously, fragmented cross-border shipments from Japan and South Korea required logistics firms to arrange separate contracts with domestic carriers, often forcing small-scale cargo to wait for consolidation. This led to prolonged waits, cumbersome procedures, and tracking difficulties.

"By integrating rail and port authorities, we ensure goods are loaded within one hour of arrival and dispatched within three hours," said Yu Qunjie, director of the production and dispatching command center at Yantai Railway Station of China Railway Jinan Group.