On July 29, the nation's first dedicated railway line designed with a "vertical coastline, direct-to-berth" layout officially commenced operations at Xiamen Ocean Gate Terminal.

The new line, spanning 1,586 meters and situated just 70 meters from the quayside, is laid out at a right angle to the coastline. It is fully integrated into the terminal's core operational zone, dismantling the traditional spatial barrier that separates port railways from the working area.

Compared to the conventional sea-rail intermodal model, which follows a "train-to-yard-to-ship" three-stage transfer process, this dedicated line enables a direct "train-to-ship" connection. It achieves "minute-level, high-efficiency transfers and zero-kilometer seamless integration" for sea-rail transportation.

On its first day of operation, a batch of containers that arrived by train from Wuhan, Hubei Province, directly boarded the vessel "Zhonghai Donghai" at Xiamen Ocean Gate Terminal for overseas shipment.

According to estimates, after combining various maritime-side facilitation measures, the logistics time for a single container can be reduced by 1 to 3 days compared to the traditional model, with logistics costs decreasing by approximately 15%.

Once fully operational, this dedicated line will connect 21 deep-sea routes from Xiamen Port with over 20 inland railway corridors, serving as a critical logistics backbone for the "Belt and Road" initiative's land-sea dual hub.

The ceremony marking the line's launch was held at the terminal. At the operational site, Xiamen Maritime Safety Administration has focused on key aspects such as loading and unloading procedures, cargo suitability, vessel safety, and customs clearance services to support the line's smooth launch and ensure its safe, efficient operation.