Cao Xa Station Inaugurates International Freight Train Service
On May 2, at Cao Xa station (Hai Duong), the Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) launched the first freight train from Cao Xa to join the international intermodal route.
” stepping stone” TO TURN CAO XA STATION INTO AN INTERNATIONAL INTERMODAL STATION
The train consists of 12 containers carrying sulfur, aluminum, and milk, loaded at factories in Hai Duong, Hai Phong, and Hung Yen provinces. The train will depart for Yen Vien station and connect to international intermodal trains for export to China.
Mr. Hoang Gia Khanh, General Director of Vietnam Railways Corporation, emphasized that the operation of freight transport, including international intermodal freight at Cao Xa station, aims to implement the “Plan to improve domestic and international intermodal freight transport capacity by rail” approved by the Prime Minister.
“Regarding rail transport, from Cao Xa station to Yen Vien station is about 50 km. From here, international intermodal transport can be conveniently organized to China and other countries through Lao Cai and Dong Dang border gates, as well as domestic transport to provinces and cities in the Central and Southern regions, and at the same time, attract customers from neighboring provinces of Hai Duong such as Hung Yen, Thai Binh…”, said Mr. Khanh.
Immediately after the inauguration ceremony, the railway has planned to connect Cao Xa station with the system of international intermodal railway stations such as Yen Vien, Lao Cai, Dong Dang… to optimize the operation of international intermodal transport by rail at Cao Xa station.
According to Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Railways Corporation, the Hanoi – Hai Phong railway line passing through Hai Duong province is 46 km long, including 06 stations, but the railway stations in Hai Duong province have limited infrastructure, do not have container yards that meet the standards for exploitation, and do not have connections to industrial parks or factories in the province.
Therefore, goods in Hai Duong province have not been directly imported or exported by rail.
“Thus, after Kep Station (Bac Giang), Cao Xa Station (Hai Duong) is the second station where the Vietnam Railways Corporation has renovated and upgraded to continue the policy of realizing the goal of bringing border gates deep into the hinterland”.
Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Railways Corporation.
In order to exploit the potential and advantages of rail transport to serve the socio-economic development of Hai Duong province, explaining the choice of Cao Xa Station for international intermodal freight, Mr. Tuan said that the station has the potential to connect basic traffic routes conveniently, near industrial parks and the city center of Hai Duong, and at the same time has a connection to provincial road 194B to Tien Kieu port, only 2 km away.
According to the leader of VNR, this is the first international intermodal freight train after Cao Xa station completed the renovation and upgrading of phase 1 and is also an important “stepping stone” to turn Cao Xa station into an international intermodal station in the future.
Accordingly, in phase 1, Vietnam Railways Corporation has completed the renovation and upgrading of the freight yard within the scope of the railway land under management and meets the minimum requirements for a dedicated bonded yard such as: renovating railway line No. 3 into a road receiving, sending, and storing vehicles with a length of about 600m; building a new unloading railway line about 250m long; building a new office, customs services, warehouse, freight yard…
After completing the investment, construction, and putting into operation phase 1, Cao Xa station has become a freight station in the railway freight transport network, actively participating in domestic freight transport from Hai Duong to other provinces and vice versa; at the same time, it becomes an important link, participating in the international intermodal transport route.
FACILITATE EXPORT AND IMPORT, REDUCE LOGISTICS COSTS
In phase 2, if approved by the competent authorities, the Railway Corporation will continue to upgrade and renovate Cao Xa station to meet the conditions of an international intermodal station, meeting the regulations on duty-free business conditions, warehouses, customs clearance locations, assembly, inspection, and customs supervision number.
At that time, two international intermodal routes will be organized at Cao Xa station.
At that time, Route 1: Cao Xa – Yen Vien (Hanoi) – Kep (Bac Giang) – Dong Dang (Lang Son) – Bang Tuong (Guangxi, China), from here go deep into the hinterland of China or transit to countries of Central Asia, Russia, EU.
Route 2: Cao Xa – Lao Cai – Son Yeu (Ha Khau Bac, Yunnan, China) and switch vehicles to go deep into the hinterland of China.
In particular, after the upgrade, import and export goods can go through customs procedures right at Cao Xa station, transported by intermodal railway to the border gates to other countries, shortening the procedures as well as transportation time.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Canh, Vice Chairman of the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises, emphasized that with international intermodal transport activities at Cao Xa station, enterprises providing logistics services will have more optimal transport solutions by rail to reduce costs and transportation time of goods, increasing the operational efficiency of enterprises, contributing to the development of socio-economy, and international cooperation.
On the local side, Mr. Trieu The Hung, Chairman of the Hai Duong Provincial People’s Committee, said that Hai Duong is located in the key economic region, the economic triangle system of Hanoi – Hai Phong – Quang Ninh; economic growth rate of more than 8%. According to the plan, by 2030 there will be 32 industrial parks and over 60 industrial clusters. Currently, the province has 550 foreign investment projects with an investment capital of over 20 billion USD, ranking 11th in the country.
“With import and export goods increasing, the province is orienting the planning to upgrade Cao Xa station into an intermodal station connecting with seaports and airports. The station is located near industrial parks, so upgrading for transporting import and export goods is necessary, helping enterprises reduce transportation costs, shorten delivery time, and transport directly across the border without being congested like roads”, Mr. Hung emphasized.
The organization of the inauguration of the first freight train from Cao Xa after more than 2 months of urgent completion of the renovation and upgrading of phase 1 demonstrates the efforts of the Hai Duong provincial government and the Vietnam Railways Corporation in speeding up the progress of putting into operation a new type of transport, creating favorable conditions for the export and import of goods for enterprises in Hai Duong province and neighboring provinces; contributing to the socio-economic development of the locality.
It is expected that on May 20, Hai Duong province will organize the opening of the Thanh Ha litchi garden, cutting the ribbon to export the first shipment of litchi at Cao Xa station.
