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  August 18th, 2015 | Written by

UTi Begins New Rail Service Linking China and Germany

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  • UTi service makes other destinations in northern China and northern Europe accessible without additional charge.
  • Cargo for new rail service expected from manufacturers in Korea, Japan, Poland, France, Spain, Italy, China, Germany.
  • New rail service is being managed by HAO Logistics Co. Ltd., the Harbin Railway Bureau, and Dalian Port Investment Corp.

Supply chain logistics provider UTi Worldwide has launched a new Iron Silk Road weekly rail freight service linking Harbin, China and Hamburg, Germany.

The new service is aimed at “offering more cost-effective transport options in the two markets at lower rates when compared to air freight as well as shorter transit times in comparison to ocean freight,” the company said.

The service, it said, will also make other destinations in northern China and northern Europe, including ports, accessible within a few days without any additional on-carriage charges. Cargo is expected from manufacturers in Korea, Japan, Poland, France, Spain, and Italy, as well as China and Germany.

The first train operating on the new service departed on the 5,766 mile journey from Harbin to Hamburg on June 13 with 46 containers of general merchandise, returning eastbound on July 11 with 41 containers of automotive parts and consumer goods.

“This is only the first link in our Iron Silk Road rail service and only one of the many ways we are serving the logistics requirements of automotive, aerospace and other manufacturers,” said UTi freight forwarding president Ditlev Blicher, adding that the company will offer promotional pricing until September 30 “to encourage clients to opt for the new rail service.”

Interested companies, said Blicher, should contact their local UTi office or account representative for details.

Harbin is the capital of China’s northeastern Heilongjiang province, which the nation has targeted for economic development, while the German Port of Hamburg is the second busiest container port in Europe, after Rotterdam, and the 15th largest worldwide.

UTi’s new Iron Silk Road rail service is being managed by HAO Logistics Co. Ltd., a strategic joint venture between UTi and Changjiu Logistics, the leading independent automotive logistics company in China; the Harbin Railway Bureau; and Dalian Port Investment Corp.

The establishment of HAO Logistics, said Blicher, “helps attract more investment into Heilongjiang province, and we believe it will elevate UTi’s brand awareness and penetration in the northeastern region of China, as well.”