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DHL introduces first Eastbound block trains from Germany to China

[ June 12, 2020   //   ]

In response to heavy customer demand, DHL Global Forwarding, the freight forwarding specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, introduced two new block train connections from Germany to China at the end of May. A new connection serving from the KTL terminal on the BASF site in Ludwigshafen travels via Poland, Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan to the destination terminal in Xi’an, the capital of the Chinese province Shaanxi. In addition, an express train connection has been deployed between Neuss and Xi’an via Kaliningrad reducing the transit time to 12 days. With these connections, DHL Global Forwarding’s rail network is further expanding and providing customers access to faster lead times to Asia covering both less-than-container-load (LCL) and full-container-load (FCL). The implementation of complete block train routes from Europe to China reflects the growing demand for imports and speed to deliver to Asian countries complementing DHL’s already existing block trains from Xi’an and Chengdu to Europe.

“In the last years, we observed an increasing demand for rail service products to and from China,” explains Thomas Kowitzki, Head of Chinarail, Multimodal at DHL Global Forwarding Europe. “Their cost-effectiveness, short transit time, and lower CO2 emissions compared to other transport modes make them an attractive alternative. To offer our European and global customers the right transport mode to grow their businesses between Europa and Asia, we continuously seek to expand our network of connections, capacities, and service speeds. The use of logistics services and infrastructure of KTL terminal in Ludwigshafen is another step towards an even more connected world and to more resilient supply chains.” 

“The Rhine-Main region around Ludwigshafen as a European gateway and important source of volume is an ideal starting point for our transports,” adds Max Siep, Head of Business Development/Network Management Chinarail of DHL Global Forwarding Europe. “Ensuring that more customers can benefit from the reliability, speed, and climate-friendliness of our rail products, we are expanding the service to more departures and – at the same time – gradually improving the transit time.” 

The new Germany-to-China rail services have been established in cooperation with long-term partner RTSB GmbH, Friedrichsdorf, Germany. The block trains are loaded with goods from all over Europe and transported over 9,400 km to the central hub for train services in Xi’an, where DHL distributes the cargo within China and to neighboring countries like South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. The new routes also shorten transit times for customers in other European countries like Benelux, France, Iberia, and UK. 

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