SIMIC

The number of containers transported was 590,000 TEU, up three per cent on 2021. CR says that this shows "a good development trend of steady progress", reports New York's International Railway Journal.

But as a whole the number of freight trains operated grew 22 per cent in 2021, and the number of TEU moving between China and Europe by rail increased by 29 per cent.

In 2020 year-on-year growth was 50 per cent and 56 per cent respectively, perhaps reflecting increased traffic due to Covid.

The war in Ukraine is believed to be one of the causes of the decline in the growth of rail freight between China and Europe, with some customers choosing not to use routes via Russia and Belarus to avoid trading with Russian Railways (RZD).

Sanctions against Russia have combined with a weakening economic climate and increasing transport costs. This has seen customers return to sending their consignments by sea, with longer transit times than rail.