CRRC’s cold chain system powers cross-border tropical fruit rail shipments between Vietnam and China

A cross-border freight train departed from Dong Dang Station in Vietnam loaded with durians, mangosteens, fresh coconuts and other tropical fruits, arriving smoothly at Nanning International Railway Port. As cargo doors opened, sweet tropical aromas mixed with chilled air. Consignments are rapidly distributed to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other major cities, with produce reaching consumers’ dining tables as soon as the following day. This race against time to preserve freshness is backed by an integrated cold chain transport solution developed by CRRC, combining railway power generation containers and 40-foot rail refrigerated containers.

Domestically developed cold chain equipment acts as a key driver for high-quality development within the logistics sector. Traditional cold transport commonly adopts a “4+1” configuration, where one generator unit serves four refrigerated containers. The newly deployed “8+1” train set uses a single railway power generation container to supply eight refrigerated containers, cutting logistics expenses by hundreds of yuan per container.

The core hardware for this “8+1” setup is developed by CRRC Yangtze Group, comprising dedicated railway power generation containers and 40-foot rail reefer containers. The power generation container supports a “1+8” power supply model, delivering continuous power to eight fully loaded refrigerated boxes simultaneously. Embedded sensors monitor diesel unit operation, vibration, fire safety and video surveillance, transmitting real-time operational data to a central operation and maintenance platform. The highly integrated, intelligent system enables unattended operation and resolves persistent challenges of continuous refrigeration during long-distance transit of tropical fruits.

Its matching 40-foot refrigerated container utilises advanced technologies including inverter scroll compressors and vapour injection enhancement to boost cooling capacity and energy efficiency. 

A high-volume downward air supply system maintains stable storage conditions for durians, mangosteens and other tropical produce over lengthy journeys. 

The unit integrates cooling, heating, defrosting and fresh air exchange functions, operating reliably amid ambient temperatures ranging from minus 40 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius and adapting seamlessly to rail, road, water and multimodal transport scenarios.

The refrigeration unit fitted on these containers is China’s first fully domestically manufactured unit for railway refrigerated containers. The system delivers stable performance, secured independent information control and shortened procurement cycles for spare parts, enabling faster and more convenient after-sales services.

Regular, upgraded cross-border fruit rail services allow consumers to access authentic tropical produce at affordable prices. Efficient, stable rail cold chain transport reduces commodity losses and logistics costs for cross-border fresh goods, making imported fruit consumption more accessible. 

Independently developed cold chain equipment from CRRC delivers robust technical support for this transnational chilled supply chain, delivering fresh fruit rapidly to households across the country.