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First UK to China train departs

Posted: 10 April 2017 | | 1 comment

The first UK to China export train has departed from London Gateway’s rail terminal in South Essex laden with containers of British goods.

UK to China

Ms. Liming Liang, Vice Governor of the Zhejiang province, joined Rupert Soames, the UK Prime Minister's Business Ambassador for Infrastructure and Transport, DP World Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the Mayor of Yiwu, Mr. Shi Wenzhen, Xubin Feng, Chairman of Yiwu Timex Industrial Investement Co. attended the ceremony to see off the first train from the UK to China

The first ever UK to China export train has departed from DP World London Gateway’s state-of-the-art rail terminal in South Essex laden with containers of British goods.

UK to China

Bound for Yiwu in the Zhe Jiang province in eastern China, the train will take three weeks to make the 7,500 mile journey, and will carry a mixture of British products including soft drinks, vitamins, pharmaceuticals and baby products. 

After passing through the channel tunnel into France and Belgium, the DB Cargo locomotive will call in at Duisburg, Germany before InterRail pull the cargo through Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazahkstan before the train crosses to Yiwu, China.

The ceremony was attended by Ms. Liming Liang, Vice Governor of the Zhejiang province; Rupert Soames, the UK Prime Minister’s Business Ambassador for Infrastructure and Transport; Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman and CEO; Mr. Shi Wenzhen, the Mayor of Yiwu; and Xubin Feng, Chairman of Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment Co.

This first consignment of cargo to go by rail (which is cheaper and less restrictive than air freight and faster than sea freight) comes less than two weeks after the triggering of Article 50 and the start of the formal process of leaving the European Union, which has placed an emphasis on the UK to secure trade deals with countries all over the world.

This inaugural export train departed just under three months after the first ever import train from China arrived in the UK and the service is part of China’s One Belt, One Road programme – reviving the ancient Silk Road trading routes to the west.

“This new rail link with China is another boost for Global Britain”

“This new rail link with China is another boost for Global Britain, following the ancient Silk Road trade route to carry British products around the world,” said Greg Hands, Minister of State in the Department for International Trade. “It shows the huge global demand for quality UK goods and is a great step for DP World’s £1.5 billion London Gateway Port as it also welcomes its first regular container ships from Asia.”

Container operator OneTwoThree Logistics is overseeing the transportation and booking of cargo for the UK/China rail freight trains, in conjunction with Yiwu Timex Industrial Investments Co., which is running the service with China Railway Container.