The first train sets out from the multimodal transport terminal in Xiamen bound for Ganzhou in Jiangxi province carrying imported products, including mineral products, base paper and timber, June 19. [Photo/xmnn.cn]

The first multimodal transport terminal in Xiamen, eastern Fujian province, started operating at Haicang port area on June 19, according to local media reports.

The terminal links the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, with one side connecting the global shipping network, and the other side connecting the railway network that covers the entire country and connects Europe.

"In the past, we needed to use trailers to transport containers between the port and railway stations, which caused high transport costs and took up road space," said a staff member of the terminal.

According to the staff member, the new terminal will greatly improve the efficiency of collection and distribution and reduce logistics costs.

It is estimated that the annual handling capacity of the terminal will exceed 50,000 TEUs, and it will be able to serve multiple docks in the Haicang port area.

China has been promoting multimodal transportation in recent years. Xiamen is an international comprehensive transportation hub and has the 14th largest container port in the world. The city is well-suited for developing multimodal transportation.

As of May this year, the China-Europe freight trains of Xiamen had delivered more than 200,000 tons of cargo, which generated total revenue of more than 200 million yuan ($29.15 million). Xiamen's sea-railway combined transportation completed 15,000 TEUs, an increase of 101.18 percent year on year.