At the beginning of the new year, the first China-Germany freight train started from Guangzhou, following a route through Kazakhstan. The train carries a variety of goods, including equipment, household electrical appliances and other cargo with a total value of about $5 million, the total weight of which reaches 355 tons.
During his January visit to China D.M. Kozhakhmetov, Acting General Director of KTZ Express JSC, sponsor of a number of key documents aimed at in-depth cooperation and strengthening logistics ties with leading transport and logistics companies in China. One of the important agreements was a partnership with the largest logistics company China Logistics Group, focused on rail and road transportation, as well as managing a network of logistics hubs in all provinces of China. The agreement is focused on the development of transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) and includes agreements on information systems. In addition, a memorandum on Singapore was signed with the leading logistics company in Jiangsu Province, Jiangsu International Rail Freight Express, with a focus on developing a multimodal service combining rail and air transportation along the Lianyungang – Almaty – Istanbul route.
The Swiss InterRail Group achieved a milestone last year with the successful execution of its inaugural reefer container transports between Asia and Europe. In a strategic expansion for the current year, the transportation company has now incorporated temperature-controlled rail transport into its regular service offerings.
On January 24th, a delegation led by Nurmatov, Deputy Governor of Jizak Oblast in Uzbekistan, visited Neptune Logistics Group’s Shenzhen headquarters. The delegation was warmly received by Monica Ye, Director and Senior Director of Operations, Chency Shi, Director of the Group’s Key Account Centre, Misha Cai, Head of the Group’s Project Logistics Department, and relevant team leaders, at the behest of Bonnie Zhu, Chairman and General Manager of Neptune Logistics Group.
In a remarkable turn of events, the Port of Gdańsk, Poland’s largest port, has experienced a significant surge in cargo handling, reaching a staggering 81 million tonnes – an impressive increase of over 12.7 million tonnes from the previous year. The spike can be attributed to the geopolitical situation, with agro goods leading the charge with a notable 60% surge. Grain terminals, operating at full capacity throughout the year, played a crucial role in this increase, driven by the blockade of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, redirecting the transit of Ukrainian grain through Polish ports.
From January 22-26, KAZLOGISTICS orchestrated a productive business trip to China in collaboration with the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing. The delegation engaged in a comprehensive agenda in Beijing, including meetings with the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing and the Supply Chain Group. In Lianyungang, a strategic memorandum of cooperation was signed between KAZLOGISTICS and the International Freight Railway Express Alliance, following discussions with the Port Group Lianyungang and a visit to the Sino-Kazakh Logistics Cooperation Base. The delegation continued its journey in Qingdao, holding discussions with the prominent logistics company WORLD JAGUAR LOGISTICS and exploring the Central Asian Goods Exhibition Center in the SCO zone.
In collaboration with Truckparkings Rotterdam Exploitatie (TRE), the Port of Rotterdam Authority inaugurated the inaugural electric truck charging station within the port. Located at the Bodaanweg truck park in Waalhaven, this facility accommodates up to eight electric trucks simultaneously, marking a significant stride towards sustainable road transport. Recognizing that approximately 70% of regional container journeys involve short distances, the introduction of electric trucks aims to enhance environmental cleanliness and contribute to achieving CO2-neutral freight transport.
After receiving approval from antitrust authorities, Contargo has officially become a new co-partner of the Dutch rail operator, DistriRail B.V. Previously, duisport and Van Donge & de Roo B.V. each held a 50 percent stake in DistriRail until January 1, 2024. Now, with equal distribution, Contargo, duisport, and Van Donge & de Roo B.V. each own one third of the shares. The management of the company will be a collaborative effort among all three partners, ensuring an independent board.
The meeting of the coordinators of the Social Partnership project and a representative of the industry partner – STC “KAZLOGISTICS” in Astana on January 25 focused on analyzing the results of the project for 2023 and preparing for the upcoming audit in June. Key points were discussed, including the achievement of project indicators, prospects for continuation in the next stages, participation in events in Bishkek and Astana, as well as the development of a set of documents on social partnership for KAZLOGISTICS members. There are also plans to prepare a video meeting on cooperation between IBU+IHK+KAZLOGISTICS on February 22.
“The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route” (TITR) plans to transport 4 million tons of cargo this year. The round table, including representatives of financial institutions, the global multimodal digital platform DTC Global and shippers from Kazakhstan and Turkey, discussed trends, challenges and prospects for the development of TMTM, within the framework of which plans and tariffs for the current year were approved, as well as steps to intensify activities and prospects for expanding routes were outlined.
