DHL Global Forwarding has launched three Asia-Europe multimodal services that take advantage of China’s Belt and Road initiative.

“Global trade enables greater prosperity and a sustainable future with logistics as its backbone,” said Frank Appel, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group. “Nowhere more than in Asia have we seen the tremendous transformation of the economies due to the growing middle class and their rising standards of living which fuels increased consumption and trade.”

The first new solution is a sea and rail LCL service between Japan and Germany. According to DHL, shipments are transported from Kobe to Taicang via sea, then to Hamburg by rail, passing through Duisburg, Lodz, Malaszewicze and Warsaw.

DHL’s second new service connects Vietnam with Europe by road and rail. FCL cargo will move from Hanoi to Chengdu via road, and then to Lodz, Duisburg and Hamburg by rail. The service, which will have a transit time of 21 days, will start in the fourth quarter of 2016.

The third is a rail, road and sea service connecting Chengdu with Istanbul in 14 days, passing through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

“We have been focused on building connectivity between China and regional countries, and connections into Europe via all combinations of road, rail and sea services,” said Steve Huang, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding China. “A multimodal solution -- combining all modes of transport -- enables customers to better manage their supply chains -- offering flexibility, cost savings and potentially a reduced carbon footprint.”