CEVA Logistics has commenced regular trucking operations between China and Europe.

According to CEVA, its first ever truck from China to Spain carried 7,000 kg of garments and completed the 13,600 km journey in 16 days, travelling through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France.

No inspection was required during transit following the customs sealing at Khorgos on the China-Kazakstan border.

“This was the last official trial for our new China-Europe trucking service before we begin a regular service this month,” said Torben Bengtsson, executive vice president of CEVA Logistics North Asia. “Together with our partner Alblas International Logistics, we will further extend our trucking footprint through this unique service. The TIR trucking will change our customers’ logistics flow significantly.”

CEVA’s China-Europe trucking service will be operated as a round trip twice a week, with exact departure and destination being handled flexibly according to customers’ needs. In addition to full-container-load services, CEVA will also begin offering less-than-container-load services this June.

“It’s a very cost-sensitive alternative to air and rail transport,” said Kelvin Tang, director of road and rail at CEVA Logistics North Asia. “Compared to air transport, the cost is more than 40% lower. And it’s at least 10 days faster than rail transport.”

CEVA operated its first ever truck under the TIR Convention from China to Poland at the end of 2018.