A ceremony and client promotion event marking the first anniversary of the inaugural "Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Rail Service" was successfully held in Chengdu. (May 28, Chengdu, China) Yantian International Container Terminals (YICT), in collaboration with Hongkong International Terminals (HIT) and the Shenzhen Port Group, hosted the event in Chengdu. Representatives from government departments, railway authorities, port partners, shipping companies, cargo owners, and logistics enterprises from Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong gathered to witness the departure of the 68th train since the service's launch. The event reviewed operational achievements over the past year and explored new opportunities for collaborative development between the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The 68th train departed from Chengdu, with goods scheduled to arrive at Yantian Port within two days or at Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Port via barge on the third day. Launched on May 28, 2025, from Chengdu, the service provides a stable, efficient, and low-carbon export channel for foreign trade enterprises in Chengdu and Southwest China through reliable scheduled operations. Responding to growing market demand, the service frequency doubled within six months. Over the past year, 68 trains have operated, carrying cargo volumes 28 times higher year-on-year, transforming the historical challenge of "difficult roads out of Sichuan" into "global connectivity." This has significantly shortened delivery cycles and improved cash flow for numerous foreign trade firms. The cargo, including machinery parts, auto components, electronics, furniture, and lighting fixtures, has exceeded a total value of 448 million yuan, demonstrating robust market demand.
The service not only offers reliable departure schedules but also cuts the transit time from Chengdu to Shenzhen's Yantian Port from six days to two, with an option for barge delivery to Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Port on day three. Upon arrival at either port, goods are seamlessly loaded onto international liners for efficient shipment to over 200 countries and regions globally. The service boasts high timeliness and an on-time rate exceeding 98%, largely unaffected by adverse weather or holiday traffic congestion. It enables better planning for production, booking, delivery, and capital turnover for enterprises, while reducing comprehensive logistics costs by at least 30% compared to traditional road transport.
In terms of service innovation, following the successful launch of YICT's intermodal rail-sea transport platform "Data Open API Interface" in March this year, Chengdu International Land Port has become one of the first partners to successfully integrate with this API. This collaboration coincides with the groundbreaking issuance of the first combined rail-sea transport bill of lading for the "Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong" route by the Chengdu International Railway Port Administrative Committee. The API integration enables deep, real-time data exchange on container operations and shipping logistics between the two systems, making the scheduled rail service more efficient and seamless.
During the ceremony, Cen Qicheng, Managing Director of Yantian International Container Terminals, expressed gratitude to the Chengdu Port and Logistics Office, Chengdu Railway Bureau, Guangzhou Railway Group, Shenzhen Transport Bureau, Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's Chengdu Economic and Trade Office, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and Shenzhen Port Group for their longstanding support. He stated, "A year ago, we joined hands to launch the 'Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Rail Service.' Over the past year, driven by innovation, cooperation, and openness, and riding the momentum of the start of the '15th Five-Year Plan' and APEC China Year, we have turned this strategic corridor linking the Greater Bay Area with the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle from blueprint to reality, and from inaugural run to prosperity!"
Wang Ping, Deputy Director of the Chengdu Port and Logistics Office, remarked in his speech, "Over the past year, the service has evolved from an 'inaugural run' to a 'scheduled norm,' and from a 'single-point breakthrough' to 'networked operations.' The transported cargo value has exceeded 448 million yuan, serving over 200 enterprises. The cargo covers Chengdu's key industries such as electronics, equipment manufacturing, cross-border e-commerce, and biomedicine, reaching 30 countries and regions. This fully demonstrates the market's strong endorsement of this golden corridor."
Li Guantao, Deputy Director of the Port and Shipping Management Division at the Shenzhen Transport Bureau, attended the event and commented, "Currently, Shenzhen is fully advancing the national action plan for the deep integration and development of rail-water intermodal transport. The 'Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Rail Service' is a benchmark project for implementing this initiative."
Chen Wanwen, Deputy Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau, noted, "The success of the 'Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Rail Service' is not only due to the rapid growth of Sichuan's export manufacturing but also the complementary strengths of Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Port and Shenzhen's Yantian Port. The 'Kwai-Yan Link' has become a model for coordinated port development in the Greater Bay Area, successfully expanding the cargo hinterland through cooperation and forming a logistics pattern of 'National Manufacturing, Hong Kong-Shenzhen Export.'"
Wang Qiang, Manager of the Intermodal Transport Department at the Logistics Business Division of China Railway Guangzhou Group, said, "The successful operation of the 'Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong' corridor has effectively addressed the logistics bottlenecks for the Chengdu-Chongqing region's access to the sea. It has helped ports in the Greater Bay Area expand their inland cargo markets, further consolidating the status of Shenzhen and Hong Kong as shipping hubs and providing stable, reliable logistics support for production and foreign trade enterprises."
During a signing ceremony, representatives from Chengdu International Land Port Operation Co., Ltd., Yantian International Container Terminals, and Hongkong International Terminals signed the "Agreement on Deepening Cooperation in Building Chengdu Inland Port," witnessed by government officials and guests from Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. This move not only vividly illustrates the trilateral connectivity and mutual benefit but also demonstrates a strong regional synergy that helps foreign trade enterprises navigate the uncertainties of the global market.
Yantian Port, with 20 large deep-water container berths and superior port and channel conditions, is one of the few terminals in the Greater Bay Area capable of accommodating ultra-large container vessels around the clock. The "Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address" released last September specifically mentioned Hong Kong's active efforts to expand cargo sources, promoting the transport of goods from inland provinces like Chengdu via rail-sea intermodal transport through Shenzhen's Yantian Port, then transshipped by barge to Kwai Tsing Port for onward international shipment, achieving mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
The recently released "Shenzhen's 15th Five-Year Plan Outline" also emphasized strengthening cooperation between Yantian Port and Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Port to enhance water and land transshipment services. "YICT will continue to work closely with governments at all levels and partners, leveraging the complementary advantages of 'Shenzhen Yantian-Hong Kong Kwai Tsing' to fully play the role of an 'internally connected and externally linked' hub," said Cen Qicheng, Managing Director of YICT.
Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Port area is equipped with 24 deep-water berths and hosts the most extensive network of Asia and South America routes in Southern China. The stable operation of the "Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Rail Service" represents a concrete practice of deepening logistics coordination and promoting regional linkage among Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Chengdu and the Southwest region possess vast industrial hinterlands and strong foreign trade demand. Shenzhen's Yantian Port offers a stable and efficient rail-sea intermodal service system and the densest network of Europe and America routes in Southern China. Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Port area boasts the most extensive Asia and South America routes in the Greater Bay Area. The complementary strengths of the two ports provide comprehensive coverage of major global ports and shipping routes. Coupled with six daily barge services between the "Yantian-Kwai Tsing" ports, the efficient connection of rail, ports, barges, and international liners among the three regions accelerates the export of "Sichuan goods" and "Chengdu products" to the world through a seamless "station-to-port" model.
Looking ahead, YICT will continue to collaborate closely with government departments, railway authorities, port partners, shipping companies, cargo owners, and logistics enterprises to further enhance the operational quality and service level of the "Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Rail Service." The goal is to promote its stable, scaled, and normalized development, while deepening digital logistics interconnectivity, shipping company business collaboration, and customs clearance innovation. YICT will also continue to leverage the synergistic advantages of Yantian Port and Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Port to facilitate efficient connectivity between the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and the Greater Bay Area, fully supporting the strengthening, optimization, and expansion of the real economy, and contributing to the nation's high-quality development in foreign trade and its "dual carbon" goals.