The No 79218 container train leaving Zhongding Logistics Park in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, for Tianjin on Feb 28 marked Shanxi’s new efforts in railway-river combined transportation, as it is the first train to Tianjin that has employed multimodal transport.

The launching of the train is also the first project completed to strengthen ties between Shanxi and Tianjin since the two parties agreed on a cooperation framework earlier in January.

The 40-carriage train, loaded with machine components, chemical products and tires, is expected to reach Tianjin on March 1. The goods will then be unloaded at Tianjin Port, and will be shipped to Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia by water.

Multimodal transport, also known as combined transport, is a kind of transportation where delivery of goods is conducted by several various modes of transport. It boasts the advantages of energy conservation as well as a reduction in emissions and logistics expenses.

The train will soon be scheduled to run three times a week with the increase in the supply of goods, and is expected to contribute to regional economic growth.