Ministry of Transport： Grasping the Golden Age and Accelerating the Development of Multimodal Transport

　　CCTV News:According to the website of the Ministry of Transport, recently, with the consent of the State Council, the Notice of the Ministry of Transport and other 18 departments on Further Encouraging Multimodal Transport (hereinafter referred to as the Notice) was issued and implemented, which opened a new journey for the development of multimodal transport in China.

　　The development of multimodal transport is lagging behind, which has become a "short board" in the construction of comprehensive transportation system.

　　In recent years, the Ministry of Transport, together with relevant departments, has actively implemented the decision-making arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, accelerated the development of multimodal transport, and successively issued the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan for the Construction of Freight Hub (Logistics Park)" and "Action Plan for Promoting the Construction of Logistics Corridor (2016— 2020), Construction Plan of Port Collection and Distribution System in the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan, Opinions on Promoting Supply-side Structural Reform and Promoting Logistics Industry to Reduce Costs and Increase Efficiency, Opinions on Implementing the Belt and Road Initiative and Accelerating the Facilitation of International Road Transportation and other documents. About 150 freight hubs (logistics parks) with outstanding public service attributes, wide radiation range and strong driving force have been promoted, and the main port highway and railway container central station have been basically completed. The construction of six demonstration channels for container-iron-water combined transport has been deepened continuously, and about 200 pilot projects for throwing and hanging transport have achieved remarkable results. The first batch of 16 demonstration projects for multimodal transport have been fully launched. The combined transport volume of container molten iron increased from 1.41 million TEUs in 2010 to 2.366 million TEUs in 2015, with an average annual increase of more than 10%. China-Europe trains have shown a rapid growth momentum. By the end of 2016, 2,964 trains have been operated and 39 lines have been operated. In 2016, the express volume of railway containers, commercial vehicles and bulk cargo increased by 40%, 53% and 25% respectively over the previous year.Both hit record highs.

　　At the same time, we are soberly aware that compared with developed countries, China’s multimodal transport development is still in the primary stage. At present, China’s multimodal transport volume only accounts for 2.9% of the total social freight volume, while that of the United States is about 10%. The cost of goods transshipment accounts for about 30% of the whole logistics cost, which reduces the efficiency of transportation organization and increases the operating cost of enterprises. The development of multimodal transport is lagging behind, which has become a "short board" in the construction of comprehensive transportation system. There are six main reasons. First, the market competition order is not suitable. Various modes of transportation have developed independently and dispersedly, and a unified, open and fair competition transportation market pattern has not yet formed. Second, the freight supply structure is not suitable. The comparative advantages of railways and waterways have not been fully exerted, and highways have undertaken too many medium-and long-distance transportation tasks with low added value and bulk materials. Third, the information sharing ability is not suitable. The phenomenon of "information islands" between departments, enterprises and regions is serious, and the interactive sharing of information resources is insufficient. Fourth, the operating service rules are not suitable. Various modes of transportation have different rules in terms of ticket documents, commodity names, packaging and loading requirements, insurance claims, liability identification and so on. Fifth, the level of facility connection is not suitable. The overall layout and integrated construction of hub stations and yards with different modes of transportation are insufficient, and the phenomenon of "connecting but not smooth" and "neighboring but not connecting" between hubs is serious. Sixth, the level of equipment development is not suitable. The technical research and development, popularization and application of special equipment for multimodal transport are lagging behind.The standard matching of carrying units, lifting equipment, pallets and other equipment is poor. These problems need to be attached great importance to, unite the strength of all parties, and comprehensively implement policies to speed up the solution.

　　Accelerating the development of multimodal transport is of great practical significance for deepening the supply-side structural reform, extending the green development path and enhancing the vitality of economic development.

　　Multi-modal transport is a kind of goods transport service which is organized by integrating two or more modes of transport. It has the characteristics of long industrial chain, high resource utilization rate and good comprehensive benefits. Accelerating the development of multimodal transport is of great practical significance for deepening the supply-side structural reform, extending the green development path and enhancing the vitality of economic development.

　　Developing multimodal transport is the main direction to accelerate the deep integration of transportation modes and build a modern comprehensive transportation system.After years of development, China’s comprehensive transportation network has taken shape. From the development history of transportation in Europe and America, after the transportation infrastructure is basically completed, the main direction will be turned to the development of multimodal transport, and it will be upgraded to a national strategy. In essence, the development of multimodal transport and the construction of comprehensive transportation system complement each other and promote each other. By developing multimodal transport, the coordinated connection and deep integration of transport modes can not only directly reflect the construction effect of the comprehensive transportation system, but also directly promote the modernization process of the comprehensive transportation system.

　　Developing multimodal transport is an objective requirement to promote the economical and intensive utilization of resources and realize the green development of transportation.To realize the green and low-carbon development of transportation, it is necessary to give full play to the advantages of energy saving and environmental protection of railway and water transportation in medium and long-distance trunk transportation and the advantages of short-distance collection and distribution on highway. Foreign practice shows that a double-deck container railway train can carry 200 to 300 containers, which is equivalent to the transportation capacity of 280 trucks. According to the calculation, by 2020, if China’s highway long-distance cargo transportation is transferred to the railway by 10%, the energy consumption will be reduced by about 10 million tons of standard coal, and the effect of energy saving and emission reduction is remarkable.

　　Developing multimodal transport is an important measure to deepen the supply-side structural reform and promote the logistics industry to reduce costs and increase efficiency.Practice shows that the development of multimodal transport can give full play to the comparative advantages of different modes of transport, accelerate the optimization of transport structure and capacity supply structure, further release the service capacity and operational efficiency of logistics channels, improve the level of integrated service supply, and play a significant role in reducing logistics costs. According to comprehensive calculation, every 1% increase in the proportion of China’s multimodal transport volume to the total social freight volume at this stage can reduce the total social logistics cost by about 0.9% and save about 100 billion yuan.

　　Developing multimodal transport is an effective carrier to expand the industrial linkage space and stimulate the vitality of economic growth.Multimodal transport has many related industries and a long service chain. The development of multimodal transport is conducive to promoting the standardization and lightweight development of containers, van semi-trailers and other equipment, speeding up the research and development and application of transshipment equipment, lifting equipment and other equipment, stimulating the investment in infrastructure such as integrated freight hubs and logistics parks, promoting the coordinated development of technologies such as Internet, Internet of Things and radio frequency with the transportation industry, stimulating the vitality of economic growth and forming new industrial clusters. According to estimates, during the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, China’s multimodal transport development can directly drive investment of nearly one trillion yuan, and promote the formation of a new growth point of "Made in China 2025".

　　Developing multimodal transport is an important support for serving the implementation of major national strategies and boosting the construction of an open economy.By accelerating the development of multimodal transport represented by China-Europe trains and sea-rail intermodal transport, deepening the interconnection and integration of infrastructure with neighboring countries and regions, it is conducive to accelerating the construction of an all-round and multi-channel international multimodal transport service network, promoting international capacity cooperation and trade facilitation, enhancing China’s voice and influence in the international supply chain system, promoting China’s industry to jump to the high end of the global value chain, and accelerating the formation of a new development pattern of integration and mutual promotion of logistics channels, industrial belts and economic corridors.

　　Compared with international standards, China’s multimodal transport development has the basic conditions of "overtaking in corners" and is in a promising golden age.

　　The General Secretary of the Supreme Leader pointed out that the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period is a golden period for the transformation and development of transportation. Promoting the structural reform of the supply side and promoting the logistics industry to reduce costs and increase efficiency, transportation has great potential. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attached great importance to the development of multimodal transport, and documents such as "the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’s Decision on Several Major Issues of Comprehensively Deepening Reform" and "Outline of the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China" all put forward the requirements of developing multimodal transport. Generally speaking, at present and in the future, compared with the international standard, China’s multimodal transport development has the basic conditions of "overtaking in corners" and is in a promising golden age.

　　The system and mechanism have been gradually straightened out, creating a good environment for the development of multimodal transport.After two rounds of system reform, the State Railway Administration, the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the State Post Bureau have all been placed under the management of the Ministry of Transport, and the management system framework of "one+three bureaus" has basically taken shape, providing institutional guarantee for developing multimodal transport and accelerating the deep integration of transportation modes. The process of railway market-oriented reform has been obviously accelerated, the work of highway overloading and vehicle standardization has been continuously promoted, the cooperation between ministries, regions and enterprises has become closer, and the development environment of multimodal transport has been continuously improved.

　　The infrastructure is becoming more and more perfect, which provides a strong support for the development of multimodal transport.After years of efforts, China’s transportation has achieved a major leap from "overall relief" to "basic adaptation", and the situation of "absolute shortage" of transportation infrastructure has been fundamentally reversed. China’s high-speed railway, expressway, inland waterway mileage and other indicators rank first in the world. Relying on the "five vertical and five horizontal" comprehensive transportation network, the main skeleton of multimodal transport channel has been initially formed, and a number of comprehensive freight hubs with multimodal transport service functions and strong radiation driving force have been built, which has provided a good basic support for the development of multimodal transport in China.

　　The huge market demand space provides endogenous power for the development of multimodal transport.China’s economic structure and consumption structure have been adjusted rapidly, and the demand for high value-added and time-sensitive goods transportation has been continuously released. In 2016, China’s total social logistics volume is expected to reach 230 trillion yuan, the express delivery business volume will reach 31.3 billion pieces, and the express delivery revenue will exceed 400 billion yuan, making it the largest logistics market in the world. The sustained and vigorous transportation demand provides a broad space for the development of multimodal transport. Logistics enterprises rely on multimodal transport to develop the whole logistics and integrated transportation, and the endogenous power is also increasing.

　　The full implementation of major strategies has brought historical opportunities for the development of multimodal transport.With the full implementation of major national strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, cross-regional industrial cooperation has been deepened, the eastern, central and western regions have been more closely coordinated, foreign exchanges and trade exchanges have become more frequent, and an all-round, multi-level and wide-ranging open economic structure has been accelerated, providing new opportunities for the development of multi-modal transport such as China-Europe trains and sea-rail combined transport. Action plans such as "Made in China" and "internet plus" were accelerated, which injected new impetus into the integrated development of multimodal transport and related industries.

　　Strive to increase the freight volume of multimodal transport by 1.5 times compared with 2015 by 2020, and strive to embark on a new road of multimodal transport development with excellent structure, high quality and good efficiency.

　　In 2016, the Ministry of Transport, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs, China Railway Corporation and other 17 departments, studied and formed a package of policy opinions to promote the development of multimodal transport for one year, and with the approval of the State Council, issued the Notice, which defined 18 key tasks. During the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, the Ministry of Transport will take the opportunity of implementing the Notice and work together with relevant departments and units to further improve the collaborative linkage mechanism, refine work measures, increase support, promote the sound and rapid development of multimodal transport, and strive to increase the freight volume of multimodal transport by 1.5 times compared with 2015 by 2020, and strive to embark on a new road of multimodal transport development with excellent structure, high quality and good benefits. Focus on seven tasks.

　　First, it is effective in creating a level playing field and stimulating the vitality of market players.We will further promote the combination of decentralization and decentralization, further optimize the way of market supervision, and do not add new administrative examination and approval items to multimodal transport. Strengthen the supervision of the business behavior of multimodal transport enterprises after the event, carry out dynamic monitoring and performance evaluation of market operation, and establish a credit evaluation system and a reward and punishment linkage mechanism for multimodal transport operations. We will continue to intensify efforts to rectify vehicle overloading and vehicle standardization, guide non-compliant vehicles out of the market, and promote the transfer of medium and long-distance cargo transportation from roads to railways, waterways and other modes of transportation. Strictly regulate the charging behavior of enterprises, implement the charging publicity system, and reduce the operating costs of enterprises. Deepen the market-oriented reform of railway freight transport, and encourage multimodal transport enterprises to reasonably negotiate pricing in combination with market supply and demand, changes in competitive situation and operating costs.

　　The second is to play a leading role in demonstration and promote the innovation of transportation organization model.Organize and carry out the construction of multimodal transport demonstration projects, continue to promote the construction of demonstration channels for molten iron combined transport, implement the pilot work of car-free carriers, and guide enterprises to vigorously develop river-sea transit transport, river-sea direct transport, water-land ro-ro transport mode and van semi-trailer multimodal transport with containers as the focus. Encourage enterprises to cultivate intensively, actively expand specialized multimodal transport markets such as commercial vehicles and refrigerated containers, and continuously enrich multimodal transport service products. Give play to the role of trade associations, chambers of commerce and other bridges, promote enterprise alliance cooperation, and accelerate the cultivation of a number of multimodal transport enterprises with cross-mode freight organization capabilities and bear the full responsibility.

　　Third, it is effective in promoting information exchange and sharing and releasing data resource dividends.Accelerate the establishment of inter-departmental and inter-enterprise mechanisms for the interconnection and sharing of multimodal transport information resources, and promote the real-time exchange and effective supply of data resources. Study and formulate an open list of public information resources of government management departments to provide one-stop public information services for all participants in multimodal transport operations. Guide ports, shipping companies, airports, airlines and other enterprises to fully open up information such as goods entering and leaving the port, the status of entering and leaving the station and flight plans, and realize timely information interaction. Relying on the cooperation mechanism of logistics information sharing network in Northeast Asia, we will promote multimodal transport information sharing with Japan, South Korea, ASEAN, Europe and the United States and other countries and regions.

　　Fourth, it is effective in popularizing advanced vehicles and accelerating the progress of equipment technology.Organize and carry out special scientific and technological research on key technologies of major technical equipment for multimodal transport and the integrated application of the Internet of Things in the field of container multimodal transport, and develop special flat cars for railway double-deck containers and special vehicles for railway piggyback transportation. Vigorously promote the application of standardized transport units and freight vehicles such as containers and vans, and actively explore the development of modular car trains. Promote consistent transportation with coils. Strengthen the research and development of specialized intermodal transport equipment, and vigorously develop special railway transport vehicles and containers such as commercial vehicles, refrigeration and dangerous chemicals. Promote industrial technological innovation and cultivate new industrial clusters of multimodal transport equipment manufacturing industry.

　　Fifth, it is effective in strengthening infrastructure connection and tapping the potential of channel services.Implement the Action Plan for Promoting the Construction of Logistics Corridor (2016— 2020), accelerate the formation of the main skeleton of the national multimodal transport network that runs through the inside and outside. Focus on speeding up the capacity expansion and transformation of busy sections in the channel, promoting the construction of trunk railways and expressways in the central and western regions, and improving the high-grade waterway network connecting trunk and branch. Accelerate the network layout and facilities transformation of multimodal transport hubs, promote the centralized layout and integrated construction of various modes of transport hubs, and form a number of national and regional multimodal transport hubs with smooth connection, efficient operation and strong radiation. Accelerate the implementation of the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan for the Construction of Port Collection and Distribution System", promote the construction of railways and highways in major ports, support the introduction of special railway lines in large-scale integrated logistics parks, and smooth the transfer of micro-circulation systems.

　　Sixth, we have made great achievements in deepening foreign exchanges and cooperation and developing international multimodal transport.Implement the China-Europe Train Construction and Development Plan (2016— 2020), improve the inter-provincial and inter-departmental collaborative linkage mechanism of China-Europe trains, speed up the construction of hub nodes in the assembly center, effectively integrate the resources of China-Europe trains, and promote the normal and stable operation. Deepen the innovation of the system and mechanism of customs clearance, accelerate the construction of a "single window" for international trade, and promote the information exchange, mutual recognition of supervision and mutual assistance in law enforcement among relevant departments of port management. Accelerate the construction of the national multimodal transport customs supervision center and innovate the customs multimodal transport import and export goods supervision mode. Accelerate the formulation and revision of bilateral and multilateral agreements on international transportation, and promote pragmatic cooperation with countries along the "Belt and Road" in international multimodal transport rules.

　　Seventh, we have made great efforts to increase policy support and improve the system of laws and regulations.Make overall use of existing policies, support the construction of multimodal transport hub stations and collection and distribution systems with public attributes, upgrade and transformation of transportation equipment and information interconnection and sharing. Accelerate the research and demonstration of comprehensive transportation promotion law, multimodal transport law and other legislation, and strengthen the interconnection of laws and regulations between different modes of transportation. Improve the standard system of multimodal transport infrastructure, transport units, vehicles, fast transshipment equipment, information exchange interfaces, and promote the formation of multimodal transport service rules conducive to "door-to-door" integrated transportation organizations. Study and establish a technical standard framework for inland containers suitable for China’s national conditions, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the formulation and revision of international multimodal transport rules, and provide basic support for the development of multimodal transport. (Liu Xiaoming, member of the Party Group and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport)