First Shanghai-Minsk TIR Container Truck By Road Departs

A container truck carrying three new Chinese electric vehicles has departed from Shanghai en route to Minsk, Belarus, a distance of just over 11,000km. This marks the first shipment exported from Shanghai under the international TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) road transport system.

Following the dispatch of the truck to the Minsk, TIR-based transportation services for both imports and exports are now available in and out of Shanghai. The total value of cargo transported was worth about US$154,600.

The TIR system is a global customs transit system that facilitates the movement of goods across international borders by road. It allows goods to transit through countries without requiring the payment of customs duties and taxes until they reach their final destination. The TIR system covers 78 countries, including Russia, Belarus, China, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and the European Union.

The Shanghai-Minsk route via TIR and road essentially showcases the economic viability of transporting certain goods via road from East Asia to Europe. New horizons are opening up for Belarusian and Russian logistics companies: it is now possible to deliver cargo from China by road more quickly and with guaranteed reliability. Shanghai’s entry into the international arena within the framework of TIR is an important step towards building a modern transport infrastructure, where efficiency, reliability, and transparency play a key role.