(Yicai) July 28 -- The China-Europe Railway Express has slashed air conditioner delivery times to heatwave-hit Europe from around 40 days by sea to approximately two weeks by rail, strengthening international trade and economic ties, Liang Linchong, a senior official at the National Development and Reform Commission’s Department of Regional Opening-Up, said at a press conference today.

Last month, Europe experienced a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some areas. To meet the surge in demand for air conditioners, Chinese manufacturers including Midea Group and Gree Electric Appliances switched their supply channels from sea freight to the China-Europe Railway Express, slashing transportation times to around 15 days from approximately 40 days.

China Railway launched the China-Europe Railway Express brand on June 8, 2016, with departures from multiple Chinese cities, including Chongqing, Chengdu, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Changsha, Suzhou, Dongguan and Yiwu.

The China-Europe Railway Express has completed more than 130,000 freight train trips, transporting goods worth over USD520 billion, according to the NDRC.

As of June, the China-Europe Railway Express had maintained a 100 percent loaded-container utilization rate for 46 consecutive months. The ratio of outbound to return trips is close to 1:1, reflecting a balanced flow of freight. This has greatly promoted the circulation of goods and industrial complementarity among countries along the rail corridor.

Editor: Kim Taylor