This February TransContainer has made a trial departure of a block train from Kleschikha station in Novosibirsk to China via the Makhalino-Hunchun border crossing.
The 31 container loaded on board the train are laden with sawn goods. At present, the train is at the Makhalino border crossing, from there containers will be carried to Tianjin and Manzhouli.
The train service using this route can become regular. According to TransContainer, since August 2018 some 3 mn tons of cargo was carried across the Russian-Chinese border via the Makhalino-Hunchun border crossing. As of January 31, 2019, 939 TEU was transported.
The company says this is the limit of the capacity of this border crossing, however, the Chinese party is sure that transit cargo traffic is to grow, so, modernization and investment is needed.
Russian Railways have launched an investment program aimed at reconstructing the border crossing and developing the related infrastructure, so as to increase the capacity up to 8 mn tons annually in future.
Chinese Railways have also declared their interest in developing this border crossing, and earmarked investment for this purpose for 2019.