One of them, Finland’s Nurminen Logistics, who suspended operations in Russia, has announced the launch of the first container route from China to Europe bypassing Russia.
The company closed its office in Russia on March 17.
“On the new southern Trans-Caspian route, the first full-length container train from Nurminen Logistics departed today, May 10, 2022, from Chongqing, China,” the official information says. “The route starts from China and runs via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Romania to Central Europe.”
You will recall that a container train was already dispatched from China to Europe, bypassing Russia, in mid-April. The cargo went from Xi’an (China) to Mannheim (Germany) through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
According to the Xi’an-based international logistics company Zhuyang, the new train service has improved transportation efficiency and saved transportation costs.
“It presents a new opportunity for our company to stabilize exports,” Jia Min, manager of the company, said.
Transit rail transportation bypassing Russia is intensifying amid logistical problems and sanctions caused by Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine.
In these geopolitical conditions, China is creating new routes to Europe, avoiding Russia’s territory. For example, 3,000 containers were transported along the Europe-Caucasus-Asia transport corridor across the Black and Caspian seas in January and February, which is about 30% more than a year ago.
