China-Europe freight trains facilitate NEV exports

URUMQI -- With a loud train whistle echoing through the air, a freight train loaded with more than 260 new energy vehicles (NEVs) slowly pulled out of the Horgos Port in northwest China, and prepared to head to Uzbekistan.

In the first half of this year, a total of 18,000 NEVs were exported through the Horgos Port in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, mostly via China-Europe freight trains, marking a 3.9-fold increase compared to the previous year, the Horgos Customs said.

"The China-Europe freight train has provided us with a new pathway for exporting automobiles," said Li Ruikang, manager of Sino-Worlink Special Cargo Railway Logistics Co., Ltd.

Li added that 25 percent of the vehicles exported by his company are through railway transportation, with the efficient customs clearance process being a crucial factor in their decision to utilize the China-Europe freight train.

Based on vehicle type, weight, dimensions and other details, relevant facilitation measures for customs clearance have been formulated by the Horgos Customs, significantly reducing clearance time and lowering costs for car manufacturers.

Currently, the majority of automobiles transported through the Horgos Port, one of China's closest ports to Central Asia and Europe by land transport, come from provincial-level regions such as Chongqing, Sichuan and Guangdong, destined for countries along the Belt and Road, including Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The China-Europe freight train service that started operations in 2011 has offered a secure and reliable channel between Asia and Europe, transporting a variety of goods ranging from IT products and automobiles to wines and coffee beans.

An increasing number of NEV exporters are turning to China-Europe freight train service due to its stable and smooth transportation environment, multiple routes and stops, said Lyu Wangsheng, an official from Horgos Customs.

In January, a freight train carrying 50 NEVs departed south China's Guangzhou metropolis for Europe. It's the first China-Europe freight train departing from Guangdong Province that is exclusively for Chinese-made NEVs.

Guangzhou Customs has opened a green channel for NEV exports to ensure smooth logistics and supply chains.

As global pressure to reduce carbon emissions and energy crises intensify, many countries are embracing policies that support the adoption of NEVs. Leveraging its industrial chain advantages, China's export of new energy vehicles has witnessed significant growth.

In the first half of 2023, China exported 534,000 NEVs, expanding 160 percent from a year earlier, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed.