Some 35 containers carrying logs from Brazil recently departed by rail from Jitie Huangdao Logistics Park – in Huangdao district in the port city of Qingdao in East China's Shandong province – bound for Linyi Logistics Park in inland Linyi, one of 20 pilot cities built for the development of modern logistics in East China, also in Shandong.

The train is part of a new Huangdao-Linyi premium freight rail service started by Qingdao-based Shandong Port Logistics Group – a unit of giant ports operator Shandong Ports Group, or SPG.

The new service reportedly marks the raising to a new level of existing commercial ties between Shandong Port Logistics Group and Shandong Jitie Land Port Group, after they signed a strategic cooperation agreement in January.

Relying on the efficient layout of Shandong Port and the railway network that traverses Shandong province, the two sides are expected to fully leverage their existing ports and railway infrastructure and it is understood that efforts will be made to further improve their ports and depots.

Going forwards, both companies are projected to expand their partnership, to proactively seize logistics opportunities brought about by China's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.

They are expected to optimize the port functions performed by Jitie Logistics Park, step up the shift in transport modes from road to rail and further smooth out the bottlenecks in multimodal transport.

The aim is to help China open up further through links running eastwards and westwards, across land and over sea, through practical and innovative action.