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Jul 12 2022

Resilient China-Europe trade routes eyed with diversified road corridors

Amidst ongoing global supply chain disruptions, IRU and the UN have brought together the logistics sector from Asia and Europe to discuss more resilient east-west road links.

As part of IRU and the UN Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) ongoing efforts in promoting transport and trade connectivity between China and Europe, the two organisations ran a joint webinar last week entitled “China-Europe: Better Resilience with Road Transport”.

 

Against a backdrop of global supply chain disruptions due to war, the pandemic, labour shortages and inflation, amongst other issues, shippers and logistics companies are looking for more resilient and robust trade routes between China and Europe.

 

Bringing together more than 110 participants from 19 countries – including IRU association and corporate members, businesses, governments, industry institutions and universities – the event highlighted the significance and urgency of diversifying east-west trade corridors to tackle the challenges the industry is facing and achieve better supply chain resilience.

 

Discussions included the scaling up of alternative routes, for example from China to the EU via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, as well as boosting resilience along established routes, for example by using TIR for the whole intercontinental journey to speed goods across all borders along the entire route.

 

IRU Director for TIR and Transit Tatiana Rey-Bellet said, “IRU has been working closely with UNECE, governments, associations and companies to address these challenges, by refocusing on optimising traditional routes, exploring evolving routes and facilitating international cooperation, with an ultimate goal to promote diversified and balanced development of road corridors connecting east and west.” Read more

 

Source: IRU