A cold-chain freight train carrying 130 tonnes of Vietnamese dragon fruit departed from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and arrived at the Huaihua International Land Port in Hunan Province on January 26. This marks the resumption of the China-Vietnam Railway cold-chain freight train service after a three-year suspension, with Ho Chi Minh City as the starting station. 

A cold-chain freight train carrying 130 tonnes of Vietnamese dragon fruit arrives at the Huaihua International Land Port in Hunan Province. (Photo/Liu Jie)

This refrigerated block train used China Railway Special Cargo Logistics Co., Ltd.'s "8+1" power-generation car set for transport, with a cargo valued at approximately 750,000 CNY. The shipment departed Ho Chi Minh City on January 20, completing the journey in just 6 days—significantly reducing the travel time compared with previous methods and effectively preserving the freshness of the fruit. The successful operation of this test train has earned high praise from clients. The second test train is scheduled to depart from Ho Chi Minh City on January 28.

The Huaihua International Land Port, serving as a vital logistics hub connecting Hunan with ASEAN countries, has continuously optimized its cross-border cold-chain transportation services in recent years. The resumption of the China-Vietnam Railway cold-chain freight train service represents another significant step in expanding the ASEAN market, following the stable operation of the China-Laos Railway cold-chain freight service. Based on the test run, the Huaihua International Land Port plans to launch the "Hunan-Vietnam Fresh Channel," a fixed-schedule freight train service between Huaihua and Ho Chi Minh City, aiming to achieve regular and stable cold-chain transportation along the China-Vietnam Railway.

On January 24, officials conduct customs inspection on imported Vietnamese dragon fruit at the Pingxiang Port. (Photo/Liu Jie)

The establishment of the "Hunan-Vietnam Fresh Channel" will further expand the Huaihua International Land Port's cross-border cold-chain logistics network targeting ASEAN countries. Notably, the measures for conditional pre-approval of imported fruit, jointly implemented by the Huaihua Customs Authority and the Pingxiang Customs Authority, have boosted port clearance efficiency by 20%. The move provides consumers in Hunan and central China with a more convenient and efficient transport channel for imported fruit.

The regular operation of cold-chain freight trains effectively reduces logistics costs and improves transportation efficiency, enabling more high-quality ASEAN fruit to enter the Chinese market swiftly. Moving forward, the Huaihua International Land Port will continue to deepen logistics cooperation with ASEAN countries. The port will continuously expand the range of imported products and enhance service capabilities, striving to become an agricultural product distribution center and a cold-chain logistics hub serving these countries.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Chinanews