China's Xinjiang launches charter train service for cotton yarn supply

URUMQI, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- A charter train loaded with 1,440 tonnes of cotton yarns produced in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region left for Foshan, south China's Guangdong Province, on Saturday, marking the launch of fast logistic track linking the cotton production base with the industrial hub.

Li Lin, a transport manager with the yarn supplier from Xinjiang's Kashgar City, said the company has signed an agreement with customers in Guangdong for supplying more than 6,000 tonnes of cotton yarns per month this year.

"The railway authorities have provided us with customized service for the transport, which not only ensures the supply amount but also the transport efficiency," he said.

Li added that the charter train service shortens the time for Xinjiang cotton to reach the south China textile industrial base 5,000 km away by four days.

"The cotton yarn market is favorable this year, and the demand is strong. The Kashgar-Foshan charter train service for cotton yarn is scheduled once a month on regular basis," said Ma Zhimin, with the Kashgar freight transport center of China Railway Urumqi Bureau Group Co., Ltd.

As of Feb. 10 this year, 36,400 tonnes of cotton yarn have been shipped by railway from Xinjiang's cotton production bases of Kashgar and Aksu, a year-on-year increase of 20.02 percent, Ma said.