At the start of the new year, Xiamen Port's Haitian Terminal is bustling. A vessel from a Southeast Asian route, the "CMA CGM Blue Whale," fully loaded with timber, fruit, and other cargo, has docked, and loading and unloading trucks are ready. More than 1,200 TEUs of products, including clothing, footwear, and electromechanical goods, are waiting to be loaded. These goods set sail today for ports in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other Belt and Road countries. This is the first cargo peak since the launch of "Silk Road Maritime."

As China's first international comprehensive logistics service brand and platform themed on shipping under the Belt and Road Initiative, "Silk Road Maritime" has completed 16 voyages in its first week, with container throughput reaching 10,600 TEUs, of which imports account for 30% and exports 70%.

Over 60 enterprises have responded

to the construction of the "Silk Road Maritime" Alliance

On December 24, 2018, the launch ceremony of "Silk Road Maritime" was held at Xiamen Port's Haitian Terminal, attended by Zhang Zhinan, Executive Vice Governor of Fujian Province. On the same day, the first vessel named "Silk Road Maritime," the "COSCO Surabaya," set sail from Xiamen Port's Dongdu Terminal Area for Batangas Port in the Philippines, completing the maiden voyage of "Silk Road Maritime."

Relying on the Xiamen Southeast International Shipping Center, "Silk Road Maritime" was initiated by Xiamen Port Holding Group Co., Ltd., which established an operating company. As the first international comprehensive logistics service brand and platform themed on shipping under the Belt and Road Initiative in mainland China, "Silk Road Maritime" will attract participation from numerous domestic and international port, shipping, and logistics enterprises.

At the launch ceremony, the operating company of "Silk Road Maritime"—Fujian Silk Road Maritime Operation Co., Ltd.—was unveiled, and the initiative to establish the "Silk Road Maritime" Alliance also received responses from multiple companies.

"Since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed, domestic shipping enterprises have opened many 'Maritime Silk Road' routes, but most have operated individually," said Chen Zhiqin, General Manager of the Xiamen Branch of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (China) Co., Ltd., and one of the responders to the "Silk Road Maritime" Alliance. He believes it is necessary to build a new platform for international trade and shipping services to seek the greatest common denominator for cooperation.

It is understood that Fujian Silk Road Maritime Operation Co., Ltd. will lead the construction and operation of the open and shared cooperation platform of "Silk Road Maritime" and the formation of the "Silk Road Maritime" Alliance. Currently, more than 60 railway, shipping, port, dry port, freight, and supply chain management enterprises, including China Railway Nanchang Group Co., Ltd., have actively responded to the construction of the "Silk Road Maritime" Alliance.

Promoting the organic connection between Silk Road Maritime and China-Europe freight trains

A responsible person from Fujian Silk Road Maritime Operation Co., Ltd. introduced that the development of "Silk Road Maritime" is divided into three stages. In the work launch stage, the operating company will open the first batch of 16 foreign trade container liner routes, initiate the establishment of the "Silk Road Maritime" Alliance, unify the "Silk Road Maritime" logo, and continue to attract more shipping companies to join.

In the expansion stage, "Silk Road Maritime" routes will continue to increase, coverage will continue to expand, linkages with domestic and overseas ports and shipping enterprises will become closer, sea-rail intermodal transport with inland provinces will become smoother, water-to-water transshipment with coastal ports will become more efficient, and an international trade corridor organically connecting "Silk Road Maritime" with China-Europe freight trains will basically take shape.

In the upgrading stage, efforts will be made to ensure that international container shipping enterprises calling at China's coastal ports basically join the "Silk Road Maritime" Alliance, with routes covering China's coastal areas and major ports along the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road." A shipping service system with complete facilities, a sound network, growing volume, and convenience and efficiency will be basically established, making "Silk Road Maritime" a world-renowned comprehensive logistics brand with international competitiveness and a good reputation.

Realizing business collaboration and information sharing among shipping logistics participants

Fujian will gather strength from all aspects to promote the high-quality development of "Silk Road Maritime."

In terms of hardware, Fujian will improve intermodal infrastructure, enhance the scale and functions of major large container port areas, coordinate the construction of port evacuation channels, logistics parks, and trunk and branch railways and expressways, and continuously improve the sea-rail intermodal infrastructure system covering Fujian and serving the whole country.

In terms of logistics services, Fujian will actively promote efficient connections among transportation, warehousing, distribution, inspection and quarantine, customs clearance, and settlement; promote effective connections between railway, highway, aviation, and other transport modes and "Silk Road Maritime" liners to form a full-process, standardized logistics service chain; establish a "Silk Road Maritime" customer service center to provide one-stop facilitation and customized services; and rely on the China (Fujian) International Trade Single Window to realize business collaboration and information sharing among shipping logistics participants.

Fujian will also innovate the "Silk Road Maritime" shipping service model, raise service standards, improve service quality, strengthen cross-strait shipping cooperation, and accelerate the building of a Belt and Road international trade and shipping service platform featuring standardized services, convenient operation, and intelligent management.