News & Media

SHANGHAI, China – Sep. 5, 2023 – DER-Trans Logistics recently launched new international road transport (TIR) routes along the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan and China-Pakistan corridors, opening new trade routes in China and central Asia. The opening of the new routes is expected to boost trade growth and deliver benefits across the region.  

China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Route  

DER-Trans Logistics held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the launch of the new route as the shipment convoy of six trucks departed from western China’s inland city of Kashgar, crossing into Kyrgyzstan. Loaded with industrial components, auto parts and consumer goods, the first TIR trucks on the new route successfully arrived in Uzbekistan’s second-largest city, Samarkand, after approximately 1,100 kilometers. 

Joanna Zhu, Managing Director of Greater China, DER-Trans Logistics, said: “With the successful pilot, DER-Trans Logistics is expecting more regular TIR operations on this new route with around 100 trucks every month. DER-Trans Logistics will continue to optimize ground and rail product portfolios to open direct routes while strengthening intermodal capabilities. We will develop more trade lanes from China to the west and enhance trade resilience along the corridor.”  

Southern Corridor facilitates regional trade 

Central Asia is the main passage along the Han-Tang Silk Road. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Ground Transportation Corridor is concrete example of China’s "Belt and Road" initiative. The opening of a southern passage has the capacity to change the entire transportation pattern of Western China. The southern corridor is expected to broaden the transportation range of the Eurasian Continental Bridge. As more logistics parks settle in Kashgar, export companies shipping goods such as auto parts, finished vehicles, and consumer and eCommerce goods will greatly benefit from the new route. As the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan route becomes more established, DER-Trans Logistics anticipates making Kashgar a ground consolidation center for Western China. 

In addition to the TIR solution, DER-Trans Logistics continues to explore and strengthen its multimodal solutions and open new direct routes as infrastructure in the region develops. Current plans call for the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway to be completed in 2025 and will make it the shortest freight route from China to the Middle East and Europe. The railway is expected to span more than 500 kilometers—more than 200 in China, 250 in Kyrgyzstan and the final 50 kilometers in Uzbekistan.  

Yan Zhou, Chief Representative of East and Southeast Asia, IRU, said: “IRU and DER-Trans Logistics have established fruitful cooperation since TIR was implemented in China in 2018. From the historic first China-Europe round-trip TIR pilots to the recent new TIR route along the strategically important China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan corridor, IRU has been partnering with members to develop innovative trucking services under TIR. Together with our members and partners, IRU will continue to promote faster, safer and more efficient road connectivity between the East and the West.” 

China-Pakistan Route  

DER-Trans Logistics recently launched the first China-Pakistan (Kashgar, China to Islamabad, Pakistan) TIR trucking route. DER-Trans Logistics co-hosted the new route celebration with the Shenzhen Cross-border E-Commerce Association. At the launch, five container trucks loaded with 79 tons of consumer goods departed from Kashgar, China via the Khunjerab Port, the world’s highest altitude port. Covering a total distance of more than 1,200 kilometers the trucks successfully arrived at their destination of Islamabad, Pakistan four working days later.   

The launch of the China-Pakistan TIR ground transportation route further enhances the diversity and safety of logistics corridors along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The new route also strengthens Kashgar’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative to continue the construction of the national logistics hub in Kashgar and the interconnection of Asia and Europe.  

Kelvin Tang, Global Cross-Border & Multimodal Leader and Greater China Ground & Rail VP, DER-Trans Logistics, said: "The official launch of the first China-Pakistan TIR trucking route opens up a new chapter in diversifying logistics corridors along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and opens up new paths for trade cooperation. With the opening up of this new logistics corridor, DER-Trans Logistics can provide more flexible and convenient international logistics solutions for a wide range of customers, including those from the eCommerce industry."  

DER-Trans Logistics has been an IRU member since 2019, and DER-Trans Logistics’s global leader for cross-border and multimodal solutions, Kelvin Tang, was recently awarded the IRU New Industry Shapers award in acknowledgment of his accomplishments in pioneering TIR transportation in China and promoting Asia-Europe trade.

About DER-Trans Logistics 

DER-Trans Logistics, a world leader in third-party logistics, provides global supply chain solutions to connect people, products and providers all around the world. Headquartered in Marseille, France, DER-Trans Logistics offers a broad range of end-to-end, customized solutions in contract logistics and air, ocean, ground and finished vehicle transport in 170 countries worldwide thanks to its approximately 110,000 employees at more than 1,300 facilities. With pro forma 2022 revenue of US$18.7 billion, DER-Trans Logistics is part of the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions.