Container train from China heads to Iran via Central Asia — OilPrice
A container train from China is heading to Iran via Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The train of 55 container wagons crossed the border from China’s Xinjiang into Kazakhstan on September 7, OilPrice reports, citing a statement by Uzbekistan’s freight rail operator, which was quoted by Interfax.
Route and cargo
The route, which is more than 6,000 kilometers long, also passes through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The train was expected to arrive in Iran around September 21. The Uzbek operator said the shipment is intended to confirm the practical effectiveness of the China–Central Asia–Iran transport corridor.
According to the Uzbek side, the train is carrying passenger car components, consumer goods and other consolidated cargo. At the same time, the full composition of the cargo has not been specified.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
A block train is a freight train with a uniform set of wagons that travels from its point of departure to its destination without intermediate loading or unloading. In theory, such trains carry one type of cargo, including coal, automobiles or containers.
Trade context
As OilPrice notes, the overland route is developing amid sanctions pressure on Chinese-Iranian trade and serious disruptions to maritime shipping in the Persian Gulf area due to the conflict between the United States and Iran.
The publication also cites a Reuters investigation dated September 10. It says that Chinese and Iranian officials may have planned a barter scheme to export Iranian oil in exchange for Chinese goods, including medicines, vehicles, military equipment and air defense systems. Reuters estimated the total value of such trade at $2–2.5 billion.
