New Cross-border Coke Freight Route Launched via China-Laos Railway to Serve ASEAN Markets
Per Xinhua News Agency, a test cross-border freight train carrying coke departed from Zhongchuan North Railway Station in Lanzhou New Area recently, marking the official opening of a new energy commodity logistics route operated by Gansu International Logistics Group. Running along the Hami-Lanzhou-Vientiane corridor, the train consists of 20 standard containers loaded with high-quality coke. It crosses the border via Mohan Port in Yunnan and travels onward to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, along the China-Laos railway trunk line.
The test service adopts an efficient multimodal transport model that integrates domestic resource collection, railway haulage and international cross-border delivery. Leveraging its professional strengths in energy logistics and cross-border supply chain operation, Gansu International Logistics Group connects high-quality coke resources sourced from Hami in Xinjiang with downstream industrial demand across Southeast Asia. All cargo is consolidated and marshalled at Lanzhou New Area, with full-process coordination covering capacity scheduling, customs clearance and route arrangement.
Tailored to the physical characteristics of coke cargo, the operator has optimised container loading standards, implemented fully enclosed protection measures and reinforced comprehensive safety management throughout the whole journey. The upgraded transport solution delivers safer operational performance and lower cargo loss rates compared with conventional shipping methods. The successful trial run verifies the feasibility and maturity of transporting Xinjiang coal resources southward via the China-Laos international corridor, demonstrating solid potential for large-scale promotion and regular commercial operation.
The newly opened route delivers stable and reliable supplies of energy raw materials for manufacturing sectors across ASEAN regions, further enriching diversified international logistics channels for western China’s energy commodities. It strengthens resource connectivity between northwest energy bases and Southeast Asian industrial markets, supporting the steady development of regional cross-border industrial and supply chains.
Gansu International Logistics Group will continue to optimise the layout of cross-border freight routes and upgrade comprehensive cross-border logistics service capabilities based on the successful test run. Ongoing operational improvements will further smoothen the southbound international transport corridor for Xinjiang coal and energy products. The expansion of stable, efficient international logistics channels will assist Gansu province in fostering a more balanced and open economic development structure and advancing high-level external opening-up in western China.
