China launched a national multimodal transport alliance in Beijing on Wednesday to enhance coordination among rail, waterway, road, and logistics operators. This initiative aims to improve logistics efficiency and support the development of a unified national market, according to the China State Railway Group.

The China multimodal transport development alliance, initiated by the railway operator and joined by major industry players, will focus on building the 95306 national multimodal transport platform. This platform is designed to enhance data sharing, service coordination, and operational links across various modes of transport.

Jointly initiated by the China State Railway Group, COSCO Shipping, China Merchants Group, China Logistics Group, and China Data Logistics Information Co, the alliance's first group of members includes 66 enterprises and institutions from railways, shipping, ports, road transport, integrated logistics, and logistics research.

According to the logistics center of the China State Railway Group, railways serve as the backbone of China's integrated transport system, featuring a nationwide network and unified traffic organization. These advantages enable rail transport to better connect with waterways and roads, playing a central role in multimodal logistics.

The alliance will establish three cooperation platforms covering rail-water transport, rail-road transport, and technological innovation. The rail-water platform will promote the development of "freight train plus liner shipping" corridors, while the rail-road platform will focus on logistics services around railway freight stations, data sharing, shared warehousing, driver services, and green transport facilities.

A technological innovation platform will support research and application in standards, equipment, green and smart logistics, and data sharing. Additionally, the alliance will launch a 95306 national multimodal transport service hotline to provide one-stop services, including business consultation, demand registration, complaint handling, and feedback.

The alliance is expected to help reduce overall logistics costs, improve transport structure, and promote the high-quality development of China's modern logistics system, according to the China State Railway Group.