A rail-sea intermodal train carrying 100 TEUs of hardware machinery, daily goods, and other exports departed from Yiwuxi Railway Station. [Photo/Tide News]

A rail-sea intermodal train carrying 100 TEUs of hardware machinery, daily goods, and other exports departed from Yiwuxi Railway Station in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on May 18 toward Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. The goods will then be transported to Jebel Ali Port in Dubai through the Middle East sea express route.

This is the first shipment from Yiwu to Dubai under the new "dual express" logistics model of a rail-sea express line and Middle East express shipping.

"Under this model, delivery time from Yiwu to Dubai can be reduced from 23 to 17 days, with logistics costs dropping 18 percent," said Chen Songdi, marketing manager at Hangzhou Railway Logistics Center under China Railway Shanghai Group.

The model breaks traditional logistics barriers, creating a highly efficient network linking Yiwu's warehouses, Ningbo-Zhoushan port, and Dubai's distribution hub.

Dubbed the "Gateway to the Middle East", Dubai is one of the largest trade hubs for Yiwu's commodities. The Dubai Yiwu Market, launched in Jebel Ali Free Zone in June 2022, is Yiwu's first overseas market under its new global strategy.

"There are just 15 minutes from Jebel Ali Port to the Dubai Yiwu Market. The new route will strengthen economic ties between Yiwu and the region," said a merchant at the market.

The Yangtze River Delta now operates two such logistics channels: the Hefei-Ningbo-Zhoushan-Wilhelmshaven (Germany) and this newly added route. The expansion is expected to bolster global supply chain resilience and connectivity.