Logistics delivery giant UPS has expanded its rail service between China and Europe in a bid to help shippers cut down on supply chain costs, as well as better balance cost and time-in-transit requirements.

UPS said the expansion meant better access to alternative shipping options for its customers.

The company will now offer UPS Preferred full container load (FCL) and less-than-container load (LCL) multimodal rail service to Changsha, Chongqing, Suzhou and Wuhan stations in China, in addition to the already existing Zhengzhou and Chengdu stops.

UPS said the four China-based stations are near provincial industrial manufacturing, commercial and cultural centers in interior parts of the country.

In Europe, stops in Duisburg, Germany, and Warsaw, Poland, were added to the line serving the existing terminuses at Hamburg and Lodz.

Cindy Miller, president of UPS Global Freight Forwarding said: "Our China-Europe rail services can save customers up to 65 percent versus airfreight, and improve time-in-transit by 40 percent versus traditional ocean freight service."

The shipping giant noted that the added stations will give customers "more options to balance cost and speed of delivery, UPS is committed to helping businesses in China and Europe succeed and expand."

The UPS China-Europe rail service also offers closed-circuit TV monitoring during train transition and GPS tracking for added security.

There are also temperature-controlled containers for more sensitive cargo, including thermal liners, pallet covers and diesel-powered reefer containers.

UPS added that simplified import/export customs clearance processes are also available with track-and-trace capabilities.

Shipping by rail also emits 25 times less CO2 than air freight, according to UPS, and significantly less nitrogen oxide, non-methane hydrocarbon and sulfur dioxide than ocean transportation.

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Editor: Chris Peterson