Last week the China Railway Group launched its brand new 50-foot containers, marking a breakthrough in rail cargo transportation.
The first 46 extra-large containers departed last Wednesday from the Guangzhou International Port Station for various inland destinations.
Each box weighs 36 tonnes, has a 30.85 tonne load capacity, and a volume of 114.4 cubic metres, which is about 50% more than the 40’ containers currently used in shipments by sea.
Chinese Railways explained that 50-foot containers will currently only be used for domestic rail transport, with trains operating at speeds of up to 120 km/hour.
Translation by Giles Foster
