“Zhengzhou-Lianyungang” Container Sea-Rail Intermodal Train Officially Enters National Railway Timetable

From: Lianyungang Daily Updated: 2025-07-03 09:10

At dawn yesterday, a whistle echoed through Zhengzhou Putian Central Station. A golden-lit container train (Train X9554) carrying 40 carloads of cargo slowly departed the platform amidst the rhythmic clatter of wheels on rails. This journey marked the official inclusion of the “Zhengzhou-Lianyungang” sea-rail intermodal corridor into China’s national railway timetable, ushering in a new era of “fixed-point, fixed-route, fixed-train, fixed-time, and fixed-price” (Five Fixed) regular trains.

Fifteen hours later, the train arrived at Lianyungang New Oriental International Container Terminal, slashing the previous 48-hour transit time by a full 33 hours. At the terminal, tower cranes stretched their steel arms to precisely lift containers from China’s hinterland onto waiting ocean-going vessels.

The “Zhengzhou-Lianyungang” sea-rail intermodal corridor was first launched in 2020. Since then, the Container Business Department of Lianyungang Port Holding Group, in collaboration with units such as Lianyungang Logistics Holding, New Oriental International Container Terminal, New Oriental Container Terminal, Port Railway Company, and China Railway Container Transport Corporation (Zhengzhou and Shanghai branches), has adhered to the strategic goal of “maximizing the potential of the Longhai Railway”. Committed to reducing societal logistics costs, the group has deepened market penetration in hinterland cargo sources through a grid-based approach, ensuring robust customer support in pricing mechanisms, cargo space guarantees, and container supply. This effort has cultivated a large base of high-quality clients in Zhengzhou and across Henan Province.

Innovation in service delivery accelerated this year. Led by the group’s Container Business Department, in partnership with electronic port authorities and logistics firms, a “single-document” integrated logistics solution was introduced, enabling “single consignment, single document, and seamless service”. Additionally, a direct-loading model for foreign trade cargo was launched, significantly reducing port dwell time. These service upgrades have acted as a strong adhesive, enhancing customer loyalty and amplifying Lianyungang Port’s brand influence in Henan.

With the operationalization of scheduled regular trains on the “Zhengzhou-Lianyungang” sea-rail corridor, Lianyungang Port’s status as an international hub port has been further solidified, and its radiation capacity along the Longhai Railway corridor has expanded. “For enterprises in Henan and surrounding regions, an efficient, stable, and reliable golden channel to the sea has been established, injecting robust logistics momentum into their global competitiveness,” stated Cheng Jiwei, Director of the Container Business Department at Lianyungang Port Holding Group.

Leveraging the momentum of scheduled regular trains, Lianyungang Port will intensify product promotion in the Central Plains hinterland. By advancing services such as the CCA (Continuous Carriage Agreement) model for sea-rail intermodal transport, pre-positioning empty containers, utilizing railway containers for maritime shipping, and expanding the “single-document” system, the port aims to continuously elevate service standards, scale operations, and leverage its advantages as the shortest-distance, fastest-transit, and most cost-effective sea-rail intermodal gateway for cities along the Longhai Railway and China’s central-western regions. The goal is to build Lianyungang Port’s multimodal transport brand and provide customers with the highest-quality, most convenient, and most cost-effective premium logistics services.