Promote international import and export goods

Mr. Ngo Vu Quang, Head of Lao Cai Station, said: In the recent meeting between Lao Cai Station (Vietnam Railway) and Son Yeu Station (China Railway), one of the contents discussed by the two sides was to continue to strengthen the organization of transportation and promote the growth of the volume of international import and export goods.

Accordingly, the two sides agreed that the Vietnamese side will continue to strengthen the organization of loading and unloading of some types of goods in Hai Phong and Lao Cai, focusing on transferring containers outbound to China, striving to organize regular train runs of 3 pairs/day. The Chinese side will increase the use of empty wagons and empty containers for transportation, while the Vietnamese side will continue to reduce the turnaround time of Chinese wagons and containers, improving the efficiency of transportation organization.

Faced with the problem of international intermodal trains running single engines and being late due to untimely traffic flow, the two sides agreed to prioritize international intermodal trains, quickly free up mobile cars at the station, ensure good organization of international intermodal trains entering and leaving the country and running trains on time. Based on the traffic flow situation at the two stations, the two sides' Communications Departments reasonably agreed on the international intermodal train operation plan for the day to improve the efficiency of locomotive use.

Lao Cai Station and Son Yeu Station also discussed and agreed to actively seek and exploit sources of goods, increase information exchange to attract customers to transport goods by international intermodal trains with preferential railway fares to promote growth in international intermodal transport volume.

According to statistics from Lao Cai station, since the beginning of the year, the station has received 390 international freight trains, with an export volume of 78,658 tons. The volume of goods and freight trains decreased compared to the same period in 2024 (receiving 514 trains, exporting 116,024 tons of goods). However, in the general context of import and export through Lao Cai border gates since the beginning of the year, import and export activities via the railway route are still considered relatively stable.

Lao Cai Station and Son Yeu Station agreed to actively seek and exploit sources of goods, increase information exchange to attract customers to transport goods by international transit trains to promote growth in international transit volume.

Mr. Ngo Vu Quang, Head of Lao Cai Station.

Statistics in recent years also show that import and export turnover through Lao Cai station accounts for an increasingly large proportion of the total border trade value of the province. In addition, the railway also creates favorable conditions for local businesses and neighboring provinces to reduce transportation costs and improve competitiveness in the international market.

To continue to improve the capacity of international freight transport routes through Lao Cai station and increase competitiveness with other modes of transport, Vietnam Railways has proposed synchronous solutions and long-term strategies. First of all, upgrading and expanding Lao Cai station to meet the increasing demand for transport.

Modernize the rail system, warehouses and cargo handling equipment to increase operational efficiency. At the same time, build modern logistics centers in the Lao Cai area to optimize the supply chain. At the same time, strengthen connections with roads, seaports and large industrial zones to promote the circulation of goods.

Another important solution is to apply digital technology in managing and processing customs procedures, shortening the time for goods clearance. Strengthening cooperation with China to resolve issues related to border procedures.

Mr. Ngo Vu Quang, Head of Lao Cai Station, said: Although we have achieved remarkable results, we must frankly assess that the volume of imported and exported goods by international railway through Lao Cai Station has not met the requirements and is not worthy of the position and role of this important railway. This situation has been recognized by the railway industry, but due to limited resources, the solutions proposed in the past have only been temporary.

In the near future, the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong standard gauge railway project will be implemented, synchronously connecting the railway across the border, along with the new station being planned to be modern and synchronous, expected to create a breakthrough growth in freight transport by rail. Accordingly, the international freight transport route through Lao Cai station is expected to develop strongly in the future. This will be an important driving force not only to promote local economic growth but also to make the most of the advantages of rail transport and the strategic location of Lao Cai.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/thuc-day-hang-hoa-xuat-nhap-khau-lien-van-quoc-te-post400229.html