At the beginning of the new year in 2026, the Wuhan dock was cold and windy, but the work site was bustling with activity. A batch of steel transported by water from Shanghai via the Yangtze River undergoes rapid transit and customs clearance here, and is immediately loaded onto a train labeled with the words "COSCO SHIPPING". In just a few days, this batch of goods crossed mountains and rivers and successfully arrived in Andijan, Uzbekistan, and was handed over to the customer. This is not just the delivery of a single batch of goods, but also means that a new international logistics artery spanning the eastern, central, and western parts of China, connecting water and rail, is officially pulsating strongly.

A new channel: water rail relay, connecting east and west

On January 5, 2026, China COSCO Shipping's first "East China Wuhan Andijan" Central Asia freight train successfully arrived in Andijan, Uzbekistan, and completed the safe delivery of the first batch of steel goods. This marks the full process connectivity of this new cross-border transportation channel, forming a stable logistics link with Shanghai as the starting point, Wuhan as the core hub, and Anjian as the endpoint.

This train covers multiple links throughout the entire process, including "loading in Shanghai - domestic water transportation - Central Asia train - Anjian delivery", effectively connecting the golden waterway of the Yangtze River with the vast railway network in Central Asia. It further leverages the distribution and conversion function of the Wuhan terminal of COSCO Shipping Port, providing a new option for the export of heavy goods such as steel from East and Central China to Central Asia with controllable time and efficient collaboration.

A set of combination punches: precise service, ensuring smooth flow

The smooth operation of this new channel is due to careful preparation and efficient collaboration in the early stage. To ensure the success of the first train, the Hubei and Sichuan supply chains under the Southwest Regional Company of COSCO Shipping Logistics conducted in-depth research on customer needs in advance, and relied on the group's network advantages to tailor a water rail intermodal integrated solution for customers.

The project team carefully optimized the packing plan based on the special properties of steel goods, ensuring that the loading of goods is both safe and stable, and fully meets the transportation requirements of international trains. At the same time, the team actively coordinated the transportation capacity and cabin space of the domestic water transport section, ensuring smooth and unobstructed transportation of goods from Shanghai to Wuhan. After the goods arrived at the Wuhan terminal of COSCO Shipping Port, the team quickly initiated the shipping process, efficiently coordinated customs, station and other resources, and quickly completed the transfer and customs clearance procedures, truly achieving seamless integration between "water transportation to port" and "train shipment".

A new pivot: elevating energy levels and promoting openness

Since the unveiling of the China Europe (Central Asia) Railway Express (Wuhan) Iron and Steel Phase II distribution center in June 2025 and the realization of two-way connectivity, the service level of COSCO Shipping Port Wuhan Terminal, as an inland core intermodal hub, has been continuously improved. The successful operation of the "East China Wuhan Anjiyan" special train is a further extension of the normalized and refined operation of the iron rail intermodal transportation channel. Key words: the Belt and Road information

This is not only an expansion of logistics routes, but also a practical measure to serve China's high-level opening-up to the outside world. It has strengthened Wuhan's pivotal position in the logistics pattern in China and even along the the Belt and Road, provided strong logistics support for enterprises in central China and even the broader hinterland to "go global", and provided continuous and solid support for building a new highland of inland opening up.Editor/Yang Meiling