The first "Jinbo" China-Europe freight train carrying exhibits for the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) arrived at the Minhang Station in Shanghai on Wednesday.

This marks the third consecutive year that CIIE exhibition products have been transported to Shanghai via the China-Europe Freight Train.

The "Jinbo" China-Europe freight train primarily transports exhibition products for the CIIE.

The train this year carried mainly cosmetics and mechanical equipment from Fortune Global 500 companies participating in the 6th CIIE, with a total of 70 TEUs and a cargo value exceeding 16 million euros ($16.87 million).

First "Jinbo" China-Europe freight train, loaded with exhibits for the 6th China International Import Expo, arrives at the Minhang Station in Shanghai, Oct. 11, 2023. (Photo: Chinanews.com/Jiang Yu)

Departing from Duisburg, Germany, on Sept.21 and passing through Poland, Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan, the train entered China through the Alashankou railway port, covering a distance of over 10,000 kilometers in a 20-day journey.

Sun Chenghai, deputy director-general of CIIE, said during the reception ceremony that this year’s CIIE has achieved record highs in terms of the exhibition area and the number of participating Fortune Global 500 companies and leading industry enterprises.

Zhu Yi, vice president of Orient International, one of the companies involved in operating the China-Europe Freight Train, emphasized that the time the China-Europe Freight Train reached Shanghai from Europe is only one-third of sea freight and the transportation cost is significantly lower than air freight.

As a flagship brand of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the China-Europe Freight Train offers various advantages, such as year-round availability, high transportation capacity, environmental friendliness, low-carbon footprint, and a guarantee of smooth and safe operations.

To better serve the 6th CIIE, the railway authorities have planned to operate three "Jinbo" China-Europe freight train trains, expecting to transport 210 TEUs of cargo worth over 350 million yuan ($48 million).

Since its inaugural run in 2021, "Jinbo"has facilitated European countries and other countriesalong the BRI route to participate in the CIIE, with the starting stations spanning from Duisburg and Hamburg in Germany to Malaszewicze in Poland.

A noteworthy development for this year's first "Jinbo" is the implementation of electronic bills of lading for railway transport, enhancing the digitization of CIIE services and promoting the high-quality development of logistics and financial services in Shanghai.

According to the railway authorities, the China-Europe Freight Train (Shanghai) has operated 72 trains this year, transporting 7,272 TEUs, with a total cargo weight of approximately 68,000 tons and a cargo value of about 2.38 billionyuan.

It connects more than 60 cities and stations in nine countries in Eurasia, playing a positive role in advancing the BRI and consolidating Shanghai's position as a gateway for the initiative.