Guangxi launches 1st multimodal 'single-bill' rail freight service

A container train carrying 1,375 metric tons of limestone departed from Quli Station in Chongzuo, Guangxi, on Apr 28, bound for Qinzhou Port East Station in the China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone. The cargo will later transfer to a shipping vessel for delivery to Jingtang Port in Tangshan, Hebei province.

This marks Guangxi's first "single-bill" multimodal transport operation, jointly initiated by China Railway Nanning Group and Antong Holdings and launching a new model of land-sea intermodal transportation along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.

The "single-bill" system standardizes freight documentation, synchronizes rail and shipping schedules, and enables data sharing between modes of transport. It also eliminates redundant checks for cargo type, container specifications, and packaging, cutting transit times.

Railways act as multimodal operators, planning the entire transport chain and taking full responsibility, while customers can submit full-journey requests via the 95306 digital platform.

"Last November, the trial run of the special 'single-bill' zinc ingot train from Nandan to Shanghai Port via Qinzhou Port East Station was conducted offline. It is now capable of online processing and for the first time operates on a fixed route and schedule, improving transport efficiency," said Liao Min, deputy manager of the marketing department of the Nanning Railway Logistics Center.

This service will further integrate rail and water transport, enhancing overall transport efficiency and service quality and effectively reducing social logistics costs.