Qingdao SCO zone sees TIR road and China-Europe freight shipments surge

The China-SCO local economic and trade cooperation demonstration zone in Qingdao, Shandong province, achieved remarkable progress in international transportation last year, with road TIR shipments and China-Europe freight train services posting impressive results.

In road transport, the zone dispatched 435 TIR transport vehicles, marking a year-on-year increase of 53.7 percent. The volume of goods shipped via TIR reached 7,657.7 metric tons, surging 76.3 percent from the previous year.

The TIR system streamlines customs procedures with its principle of "a single declaration, one certificate for the entire journey, and direct delivery by one vehicle".

This approach drastically reduces cargo handling and customs clearance time at borders. Compared to traditional road transport, it can cut comprehensive logistics costs by approximately 20 percent.

Since launching its first TIR route in Sept 2023, the demonstration zone has opened international road transport channels linking China with Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.

The zone has attracted 31 transport fleets with TIR qualifications, operating a total of 552 vehicles. They handle over 40 categories of goods, including food and electronic equipment.

"Many clients pressed for time often opt for our TIR transport," said Zhao Jiaqi, deputy general manager of a logistics company in Qingdao. "Not only in Qingdao, but also across Shandong province and surrounding regions, an increasing number of clients are choosing the TIR mode of transportation."

The railway sector also reported strong performances. In 2025, the zone handled 1,225 China-Europe freight train trips, transporting 840,000 metric tons of goods. The number of train trips and freight volume each grew by over 20 percent, setting a record for the same period. To date, the zone operates 22 regular international freight train routes, connecting 54 cities in 23 countries.

Gao Xiaolu contributed to the story.