In late autumn, Xiamen Port's Haitian Terminal is bustling with activity, as massive gantry cranes swing back and forth, neatly stacked containers are loaded onto vessels in orderly fashion, and goods set sail via the "Maritime Silk Road" shipping routes toward ports across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond.
As the core zone of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Fujian leverages "Maritime Silk Road" shipping as its central maritime hub, linking with China-Europe freight trains and international air cargo to continuously weave a dense, efficient, and mutually connected land-sea-air logistics network, making the southeastern coastal gateway for opening-up increasingly smooth, expansive, and vibrant.
After years of dedicated development, "Maritime Silk Road" shipping has become Fujian's core maritime artery for opening-up, with route layouts continuously expanding and navigational reach steadily growing.
In the first three quarters of this year, 152 container liner routes under the "Maritime Silk Road" banner within China operated a total of 3,593 voyages, completing container throughput of 4.2207 million TEUs.
Currently, the total number of routes bearing the "Maritime Silk Road" name has reached 160, with the navigation network covering 153 ports across 50 countries and regions worldwide, establishing a diversified and comprehensive shipping system encompassing container transport, bulk and breakbulk cargo storage and transportation, and cross-border e-commerce logistics.
These smooth maritime channels rely on efficient sea-rail intermodal transport to achieve seamless land-sea connectivity, opening up bidirectional flows for domestic and international circulation.
The Xiamen-to-Nanchang "Maritime Silk Road" sea-rail intermodal "Daily Service" route operates on a regular and stable basis, completing land-sea transfers within 24 hours and helping enterprises along the route reduce average comprehensive logistics costs by more than 20%.
In July of this year, the nation's first "vertical shoreline, direct-to-wharf" sea-rail intermodal line was put into operation in Xiamen, achieving direct "train-to-ship" connection between the two segments.
Maritime shipping traverses the four seas, while land-based caravans race across Asia and Europe.
Fujian's China-Europe freight trains continue to improve in quality and expand in capacity, solidifying the core land-based cross-border corridor connecting the Eurasian continent.
Since the China-Europe freight train service from Fuzhou was launched four years ago, it has operated a cumulative total of 77 trains carrying 7,918 TEUs, with cargo value exceeding 1.6 billion yuan, reaching 15 key node cities across 6 Belt and Road partner countries.
Building on land-sea connectivity, international air cargo fills the gaps in the multi-dimensional logistics network, establishing an all-encompassing air express corridor.
Fuzhou and Xiamen, the two gateway airports, continue to densify and expand international all-cargo flight routes, precisely catering to the transportation needs of high-end goods such as cross-border e-commerce products, premium fresh goods, and precision components.
Xiamen Airport's scheduled all-cargo routes have increased to 17, including 6 routes to Southeast Asia and 8 direct cargo routes to Belt and Road partner countries, accounting for nearly half, making the airborne Silk Road ever broader.
From oceangoing vessels linking five continents to steel camel caravans traversing Asia and Europe, from efficient sea-rail intermodal connections to rapid air route access, Fujian's land, sea, and air corridors have evolved from "single-point navigation" into a "multi-dimensional network."
This not only activates the foreign trade momentum of Fujian's local industries but also continuously deepens economic and trade exchanges and cooperation with Belt and Road partner countries, further polishing the shining calling card of the southeastern coastal gateway for opening-up.
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