The unpredictable year 2020 is coming to an end. As the fourth quarter approaches, the effects of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and new restrictions is intensifying. According to analysts from the British bank Barclays, the global economic recovery may follow a W-shaped pattern.

China is the flagship of the global economic recovery. The Celestial Empire was the first to suffer from the virus and was the first to provide an example of overcoming it. According to the latest information from the PRC State Statistical Office, China's GDP is close to reaching the its previous level. Such positive trends have a positive impact on the entire global economy.

The China-Europe transport corridor, passing through the territory of Kazakhstan, is the shortest of the existing Eurasian transport corridors. Amid the pandemic, cargo traffic has continued to flow albeit with lower volume. This situation greatly affected pricing and delivery times.

During the pandemic, the popular Khorgos - Altynkol border crossing point had to be closed for trucks. Loads were rerouted to the Nurzhol border crossing, which cannot cope with the surging amount of cargo traffic. Due to the complicated situation, numerous logistics companies face acute challenges making prompt deliveries of goods from or to Central Asia.

To address this need, the AsstrA team has developed an innovative service offering supporting the delivery of goods from China. Cargo is able to promptly cross the Chinese border by rail in wagons or containers and be subsequently reloaded into trucks. The service comes as a response to AsstrA clients’ need for innovative solutions to new challenges.

Indira Mazhenova

“The Khorgos - Altynkol crossing continues to support railway transportation and does so particularly well. It is equipped with a container terminal on the Kazakh-Chinese border, and road transport, logistics, and warehouse services are all easily available,” says Indira Mazhenova, China Rail Division Forwarder at AsstrA.

“There is 9 km stretch of land between the two states that significantly reduces delivery time. We specially developed this offering for our clients. It includes transshipment from a 40-foot container from the train to trucks and final delivery to the cities of Kazakhstan and Russia.”