Definition of Sea-Rail Intermodal Transport

Logistics at the combined port of sea and rail is a mode of transportation in which import and export goods are transported by rail to coastal seaports directly by ships, or goods are transported by rail after arriving at coastal seaports by ships, and only one declaration, one inspection and one release are needed to complete the whole transportation process.

With the steady and rapid development of the national economy, the acceleration of integration into economic globalization and the sustained and rapid growth of foreign trade, container transport in China shows a sustained and rapid growth trend. Over the past decade, the growth rate of container throughput in China's ports has remained around 30%. In 2006, the total container throughput of China's ports was 93.61 million TEU (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan). After 2003, the container throughput of China's ports has remained the first in the world for four consecutive years. The national container throughput is expected to exceed 110 million TEUs in 2007. At present, China's waterway container transport is still dominated by foreign trade boxes, the ratio of foreign trade boxes to domestic trade boxes port throughput is about 4:1, the source of container boxes is mainly concentrated in coastal areas, most of the inland transport depth of container volume is about 300-400 km. Highway accounts for 85% of the total container volume, waterway accounts for 14% and railway accounts for only 1%. With the high-level operation of port container throughput, the pressure from urban transportation, road transport capacity, land supply and environmental protection is increasing under the condition of highway collection and distribution as the main body, while container sea-rail intermodal transport will ease the relevant contradictions. The development of container sea-rail intermodal transport is of great practical and long-term significance for promoting the healthy development of container transport in China, reducing supply chain costs, building resource-saving and environment-friendly transport industries, and ensuring the sustained and rapid development of the national economy. Container sea-rail intermodal transport is not only the inevitable direction of railway container transport development, but also the only way to ensure the rapid development of port containers.

With the steady and rapid development of the national economy, the acceleration of integration into economic globalization and the sustained and rapid growth of foreign trade, container transport in China shows a sustained and rapid growth trend. Over the past decade, the growth rate of container throughput in China's ports has remained around 30%. In 2006, the total container throughput of China's ports was 93.61 million TEU (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan). After 2003, the container throughput of China's ports has remained the first in the world for four consecutive years. The national container throughput is expected to exceed 110 million TEUs in 2007. At present, China's waterway container transport is still dominated by foreign trade boxes, the ratio of foreign trade boxes to domestic trade boxes port throughput is about 4:1, the source of container boxes is mainly concentrated in coastal areas, most of the inland transport depth of container volume is about 300-400 km. Highway accounts for 85% of the total container volume, waterway accounts for 14% and railway accounts for only 1%. With the high-level operation of port container throughput, the pressure from urban transportation, road transport capacity, land supply and environmental protection is increasing under the condition of highway collection and distribution as the main body, while container sea-rail intermodal transport will ease the relevant contradictions. The development of container sea-rail intermodal transport is of great practical and long-term significance for promoting the healthy development of container transport in China, reducing supply chain costs, building resource-saving and environment-friendly transport industries, and ensuring the sustained and rapid development of the national economy. Container sea-rail intermodal transport is not only the inevitable direction of railway container transport development, but also the only way to ensure the rapid development of port containers.