New Shenzhen-Minsk multimodal rail connection extends “Belt and Road” network on May 22th, 2017

New Shenzhen-Minsk multimodal rail connection extends “Belt and Road” network on May 22th, 2017

New route providing both LCL and FCL service has been managed by DHL and China Brilliant.

Shenzhen, 22 May 2017 – DHL Global Forwarding, the leading international provider of air, sea and road freight services, today launched the first regular service connecting Shenzhen to Minsk, Belarus via rail in less than 12 days. The new route covers new overland connections to several major cities along China's “Belt and Road” and is the latest route in the DHL Asia-Europe-Asia multimodal network.

The new route will managed by DHL together with China Brilliant, an integrated service provider in global manufacturing and consumption of which an MOU was signed by both parties last year. Offering both Less-than-Container Load (LCL) and Full Container Load (FCL) services along the route, DHL gives businesses increased flexibility to meet rapidly growing and evolving market demands for electronics, industrial and automotive parts, and fresh food in both Eastern Europe and China.

“Eastern Europe's economies are growing faster than almost any others worldwide, 1 with significant export opportunities arising from the region's rising wages and disposable income levels,2” said Steve Huang, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Greater China. “Minsk offers Chinese businesses an efficient gateway into the Baltic States and Nordic countries in addition to other major European destinations like Warsaw, Hamburg and Tilburg via Brest.”

“With Shenzhen's economy exceeding expectations to grow by 9% last year,3 the route also opens sizable opportunities for European exporters looking to sell to one of China's most vibrant trade and business hubs, or use it as an important gateway to Southeast Asia and the rest of the Chinese consumer market. Our newest route further supports strategic infrastructure projects designed especially to support the Belt and Road, such as the Great Stone Industrial Park – the largest joint project between China and Belarus that will span decades;4 strengthens bilateral ties between the two countries; and also lays the groundwork for further rail connectivity to the Nordic and Middle Eastern states involved in the Belt and Road.”

The new route will transit through the Alashankou-Dostyk rail juncture which already services several other flagship multimodal services, including rail connections from Chengdu, Zhengzhou, and Lianyungang to continental Europe. As with its other “Belt and Road” routes, the Shenzhen-Minsk connection will also offer customers access to DHL solutions including real-time GPS tracking of containers and fully-managed customs clearance for the entire journey.

“Trade growth between China and Belarus shows no signs of slowing down, and we are excited to be partnering with DHL to further streamline freight connections between both countries,” said Zhang Chunhua, Founder, China Brilliant Group. “The partnerships that DHL has withgovernments and businesses globally, coupled with our market strength in Shenzhen-based supply chains, have come together to create a solution that directly meets the needs of China's
expansion-hungry manufacturers and producers.”

As the pioneer in innovative multimodal solutions from China to Europe, DHL has been offering this suite of innovative and flexible solutions since 2010, which connects China, Japan, Southeast Asia and Taiwan to Europe.

• North Corridor: Suzhou to Warsaw; connects China's engineering and manufacturing hubs to pan-European demand in 14 days

• South Corridor: Lianyungang and Chengdu to Istanbul; traverses three Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia – as well as two sea transit segments before arriving at Istanbul in 14 days

• West Corridor: Zhengzhou to Hamburg, Chengdu to Lodz and Shenzhen to Minsk; supporting Zhengzhou's electronics manufacturers, Chengdu's high-tech and automotive industry and Shenzhen's electronics and consumer industries with cost-effective access into Europe

• Sea transit: connecting Japan, Korea and Taiwan to China via ferry services, for onward journey to Europe; as well as Shanghai to Europe via Piraeus, Greece

• Road connection: linking manufacturing base in Vietnam to Europe via China

1 https://www.ft.com/content/4248a712-07da-11e7-ac5a-903b21361b43
2 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-12/east-europe-growth-nears-pre-lehman-highs-tolead-the-pack-in-eu
3 http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2062058/shenzhen-beats-2016-growth-target-fearsmount-over-business

4 http://www.belarus.by/en/business/business-environment/industrial-park-great-stone