Malaszewicze, a strategic logistics point at the Polish-Belarusian border, is again experiencing a period of intensive activity. The rail terminal, which plays an important role in trade between Europe and Asia, is swamped with containers from China. This situation is a result of the increased cargo flow on the New Silk Road.
Capacity and logistics challenges
Fluctuations in capacity on the Silk Road have been noted due to the piling up of cargo during the May long weekend in Poland and China. This caused traffic jams at the border in Alashankou, where containers are transshipped from Chinese trains to broad gauge trains, which in turn led to congestion in Małaszewicze.
Current situation on the China-Kazakhstan border
Currently, there are many problems related to storage space on the China-Kazakhstan border due to ongoing modernization works. These works are aimed at improving border and logistics infrastructure, but as a result they are causing extended waiting times for container handling and other cargo. These works are scheduled to continue until August.
Price increases and container availability
During recent months all importers have witnessed a significant increase in prices and limited availability of containers, significantly affecting the global transportation market. Global demand growth and supply bottlenecks have led to increased rail transportation costs. Other significant challenge is the rising cost of container rentals in China. Container rental rates have increased several times over the past few months, significantly increasing the overall cost of freight transportation.
Malashevichi is a key hub in China-Europe logistics
The dynamics of the freight market on the China-Europe route via Malashevichi shows that despite the complexity of the global trade environment, rail transportation remains an indispensable link in the intercontinental supply chain. Optimization of logistics processes and further infrastructure development are crucial to the future of this key trade route. The dynamic growth of rail traffic between China and Poland points to the significant role of Malashevich as a key logistics hub on the Silk Road.
