China News Service, Beijing, March 13 (Reporter Liu Wenwen) When the Red Sea shipping channel is blocked and the global supply chain risks intensify, China-Europe freight trains are gradually becoming the first choice for many companies for international transportation.

　　The Red Sea waterway is one of the important waterways on global shipping routes.

Affected by the ongoing tension in the Red Sea over the past few days, ship traffic in the Suez Canal, known as the "throat chokepoint" at sea, has dropped significantly, transportation uncertainty has greatly increased, and many companies are facing the risk of production interruption and delivery delays.

　　"The situation in the Red Sea has exposed the fragility of the 'maritime throat', causing global logistics companies to begin to re-examine their cargo transportation options and seek logistics solutions that replace land with sea." Lu Donghong, associate researcher at the Chongyang Institute of Finance at Renmin University of China, was interviewed by a reporter from China News Service Current analysts say that the China-Europe trains running through Eurasia have become the "stabilizer" of the international industrial and supply chains due to their fast, efficient, safe and stable characteristics.

　　DHL, the world's leading postal and logistics group, said requests to transport cargo through Russia's railway corridors have surged by about 40% since container ships began to be rerouted to take longer routes in December.

China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "State Railway Group") also stated that since this year, customers' inquiries and booking intentions for China-Europe trains have increased, and shipping demand and transportation volume have increased.

　　The popularity of China-Europe freight trains is closely related to its unique transportation advantages.

Lu Donghong analyzed that from a price perspective, the cost-effectiveness advantage has led more logistics companies to choose China-Europe freight trains.

　　A report released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in February this year showed that shipping fees from Shanghai to Europe via the Suez Canal have increased approximately three times since November last year.

Compared with China-Europe freight trains, sea freight no longer has an obvious price advantage.

　　In terms of timeliness, it only takes 15 to 20 days for China-Europe trains to depart from Chongqing to Europe, which is 7 to 10 days faster than Red Sea shipping.

Lu Donghong said that this is very attractive to companies with a certain volume of transportation and high timeliness requirements.

　　From a safety perspective, China-Europe freight trains are more reliable and punctual than ocean freight.

The latest data from the China Railway Group shows that since the beginning of this year, a total of 45 China-Europe freight trains have been operated in the full timetable. The timeliness of domestic and overseas transportation has been reliably guaranteed and favored by customers.

　　"It can be said that China-Europe freight trains have built a smooth international economic and trade artery in a turbulent world and become a golden channel that maintains the safe operation of global supply chains and value chains around the clock." Lu Donghong said.

　　Data shows that from January to February this year, a total of 2,928 China-Europe freight trains were operated, delivering 317,000 TEUs of goods, a year-on-year increase of 9% and 10% respectively.

As of the end of February, China-Europe trains depart from 120 domestic cities and reach 219 cities in 25 European countries.

　　With the steady operation of China-Europe freight trains, more and more European products have entered the lives of Chinese people; a large number of goods from China have also entered Europe via this stable logistics channel, winning recognition from the European people.

　　Huang Xin, deputy director of the freight department of China Railway Group, said that the development of China-Europe trains has created a new pattern of international transportation between Asia and Europe, built a new platform for economic and trade cooperation on the Eurasian continent, and created a resilient international logistics supply chain.

　　The current external environment is complex and severe, the situation in the Red Sea is temporarily unclear, and international shipping still faces huge uncertainty.

Analysts believe that as the railway transportation infrastructure on the Eurasian continent becomes increasingly improved and customs clearance standards become more coordinated and convenient, the advantages of China-Europe trains will be further highlighted, injecting more stability into global trade.

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