The inaugural Yiwuxi-Wenzhou Port sea-rail intermodal train departs from Yiwu. [Photo/Tide News]

The inaugural Yiwuxi-Wenzhou Port sea-rail intermodal train departed from Yiwu in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on May 13, opening a direct path for Yiwu's small commodities to Jeddah Port, Saudi Arabia, via COSCO Shipping's liner service after arriving at Wenzhou Port.

The service uses a "double-fast" model that combines express rail with rapid sea shipping, ensuring seamless coordination between rail and sea schedules and creating an efficient logistics loop that can deliver goods from Yiwu to Jeddah in as little as 18 days. Compared to traditional methods, this reduces transit time by about 20 percent and lowers shipping costs by over 15 percent.

Guo Bowen, marketing manager at China Railway Shanghai Group's Hangzhou Railway Logistics Center, said that previous routes mainly targeted Southeast Asia, while this new service fills a gap by providing a direct link to the Red Sea region, enhancing Yiwu's logistics network.

In recent years, Yiwu has boosted logistics capabilities, extended port functions inland, and streamlined customs processes, achieving a "one declaration, one inspection, one clearance" system.

As of May 12, Yiwu's sea-rail trains had handled over 117,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) this year, reflecting a 117 percent year-on-year growth.