The Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen is accelerating the development of TIR transport corridors connecting China to Central Asia to facilitate growing trade volumes, slashing delivery times, the IRU adds.
Following the successful launch of the Shenzhen (China) and Almaty (Kazakhstan) TIR route in 2023, a new route connecting Shenzhen to Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, has been activated by the Chinese transport and logistics operator ZZHY.
A Chinese TIR truck, loaded with electronic products, started its 6,500-kilometre door-to-door journey from Shenzhen, exiting China via the Irkeshtam border crossing, traveling through Kyrgyzstan, before arriving at its destination in only seven days, rather than 20 days by road without TIR.
Commenting on this development, IRU Director of TIR and Transit, Tatiana Rey-Bellet, said:
“The opening of this new route along the strategically important China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan corridor will help southern China’s manufacturing hub of Shenzhen to further enhance its connectivity with Central Asia.”
Uzbek hauliers are also exploring other trade routes to China. Three TIR trucks have successfully arrived in Foshan city in southern China after departing from Uzbekistan, traveling through Kazakhstan and inland China.
This increases the number of Chinese TIR operational inland cities to 14, offering more secure transport options that are over 80% faster and 50% cheaper.