Xinjiang's border port sees record China-Europe freight trains in 2020

The number of China-Europe freight trains traveling via Horgos Port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region reached a record high of 4,722 last year, local customs said Tuesday.

Customs staff members check a train at Horgos Port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 19, 2020. (Photo provided to Xinhua)

The volume of goods transported through the port in 2020 reached 3.68 million tonnes, which is worth a total of nearly 26.44 billion U.S. dollars, both setting new records, according to the port on the China-Kazakhstan border.

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, the port expanded its routes from 16 to 21 in 2020 and cut down customs clearance time.

Customs staff members watch containers being lifted at Horgos Port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 19, 2020. (Photo provided to Xinhua)

The port has been increasingly favored by westward trains due to its geographical proximity to major Central Asian and European cities as well as local government support and convenient custom clearance policies, said Tang Chentao, manager of a local logistics company.