Red Sea Crisis Boosts China-Europe Rail Freight Demand

As Houthi attacks disrupt Red Sea shipping routes, global businesses are turning to an unlikely hero: the China-Europe Railway Express (CRE). This sprawling rail network has become a critical lifeline for supply chains, with freight inquiries skyrocketing over 1,000% since January!

\"We’ve seen container exports triple through our Zhengzhou hub,\" says logistics expert Kong Weidong. The CRE now connects 219 cities across 25 European countries, delivering goods in 12-18 days at $6,500 per container – a competitive alternative to delayed maritime shipments.

Major players like DHL and Kuehne+Nagel are eyeing new multimodal routes crossing the Caspian and Black Seas via Kazakhstan and Georgia. Ambassador Fu Cong notes that 90% of China-Europe shipping now detours around Africa, adding at least 12 days to delivery times.

University of Vienna’s Prof. Hannes Fellner calls the CRE a \"supply chain stabilizer,\" while Italian scholar Fabio Massimo Parenti praises it as a model of international cooperation. Over 200 European cities now benefit from this modern Silk Road.

With rail volumes projected to keep growing, could this crisis cement rail’s role in global trade? All aboard the continental express!

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Red Sea crisis puts China-Europe freight rail in spotlight

cgtn.com