The first cold-chain sea-rail combined fruit transport route linking Thailand with Southwest China via Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has been launched.

On April 23, an inaugural train, loaded with 200 tons of durians, coconuts and pineapples shipped from Thailand's Laem Chabang Port, left Fangchenggang for Guang'an. The fruits will be sold in local markets, or distributed to Chongqing and Chengdu.

A train loaded with 200 tons of Thailand durians, coconuts and pineapples worth more than 1 million yuan ($148,701) leaves Fangchenggang for Guang'an. [Photo by Zhang Guannian/gxnews.com.cn]

Thailand is one of China's most important tropical fruit suppliers, especially for the popular durian and mangosteen. The fruit market in Guang'an, an inland city of Sichuan province, is strong. In 2018 alone about 600,000 tons of Southeast Asia fruits were sold there.

According to an official of the Guang'an bureau of commerce, the frequency of the Fangchenggang-Guang'an cold-chain freight train is to be increased in the future. The return trips are expected to transport local agricultural products, motorcycles and auto spare parts to overseas markets via Guangxi.

To date, Fangchenggang has operated a number of cold-chain freight train routes to Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Jinan and Chongqing, while more will be launched to Chengdu and Yibin.