China-Laos rail cold chain lifts durian trade with Southeast Asia
Shijiazhuang International Land Port says 500 reefers are moving fruit on the railway, preserving durians for northern China while opening two-way trade.
- A Chinese logistics company has deployed 500 refrigerated containers on the China-Laos Railway to transport durians and other tropical fruits from Southeast Asia during the peak season.
- The operation utilizes new, technologically advanced containers with specialized cooling systems and real-time digital monitoring to prevent spoilage and preserve fruit freshness.
- This cold-chain system reduces logistics costs and enables consumers in northern China, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, to receive fresher tropical fruits.
- The refrigerated containers also support two-way trade by transporting Chinese vegetables to Southeast Asia, strengthening the flow of perishable goods between the regions.
A logistics company in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, has put 500 refrigerated containers on the China-Laos Railway as Southeast Asian durian exports enter their April-May peak, local authorities said.
Gong Haiqiang, deputy general manager of Hebei International Land Port Co, said more than 80 per cent of the reefers are carrying durians. The remainder is being used for other tropical fruit and produce from Southeast Asian countries.
The rail route, running between Kunming in Yunnan province and Vientiane in Laos, has become an important channel for fresh fruit bound for the Chinese market.
In March, the company received its first batch of 200 customised 45-foot diesel-electric refrigerated containers from CRRC Shijiazhuang Co, a local rolling stock manufacturer.
The manufacturer said the containers are fitted with domestically developed cooling systems, dual compressors, downward air discharge and automatic fresh-air ventilation.
A full-process digital platform also enables real-time monitoring of cargo location, temperature and humidity, helping tackle spoilage and quality loss during long-distance transport of tropical fresh produce.
At a distribution centre in Kunming, an inspector opened a newly arrived container and found durians with green stems, undamaged shells and a light aroma. “Just like they are freshly picked,” he said, attributing the condition to the railway’s end-to-end cold-chain system.
“Shijiazhuang International Land Port now owns more than 500 reefers, giving us flexible capacity for the China-Laos rail cold chain,” Gong said.
“The new equipment preserves fruit quality during long hauls and cuts logistics costs, so consumers in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei can enjoy fresher tropical fruits,” he said.
Demand for tropical fruit in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has continued to rise. The same containers are also moving Chinese vegetables to Southeast Asia, supporting two-way trade in perishable agricultural goods.
Gong said the land port plans to develop into a key cold-chain hub connecting the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region with Southeast Asia, using the China-Laos Railway to increase reefer operations and strengthen cross-border fresh-produce flows.
China Daily
