The Middle Corridor is turning trucks into China’s new trade route

More than 3,700 TIR-registered trucks are now operating from China on more than 120 routes into Central and Eastern Europe, according to the International Road Transport Union (IRU), as road freight takes a growing role in trade between the two regions.

The so-called Middle Corridor, connecting China and Europe through Central Asia, the Caspian region, the Caucasus and Türkiye, is among the routes being developed as an alternative connection between the two markets.

The TIR system allows goods to move through several countries under a single international customs guarantee, reducing the need for separate customs procedures at each border. Its scope in China was widened earlier this year to include e-commerce and bonded cargo, potentially opening international road transport to additional types of shipments.

According to the IRU, the expansion is already creating new alternatives for shippers. It cited bonded TIR transport between China and Azerbaijan as an example, saying such a journey can now be completed in around 15 days — approximately half the time of the equivalent journey by sea.

China has also introduced priority “green lanes” for TIR vehicles at key border crossings, while 11 sites across the country provide combined services for international logistics operators.

The organisation also highlighted the role of road transport as an alternative when established trade corridorsare disrupted. Unlike fixed rail or maritime services, trucks can potentially be rerouted in response to geopolitical disruption, natural disasters or other problems affecting a particular corridor.

Source: trans.info