UPS has added a less-than-container-load (LCL) service between Zhengzhou, China and Hamburg, Germany for rail freight shipments as part of its multimodal freight portfolio, after starting a full container load (FCL).

The company said these services combine air, rail, ocean and/or ground transport, emphasizing that the expansion of its rail product portfolio in China reflects the company's commitment to infrastructure developments along the upcoming Silk Road Economic Belt.

This expansion coincides with the transformation of China's manufacturing industry from a low-cost and high-volume model to a more innovative, quality-focused and customer-centric approach, reported Lloyd's Loading List.

President of freight forwarding for Europe, Jens Poggensee, said its customers are looking for solutions "to expand their reach to new markets while balancing the costs of doing business".

Its FCL solutions are offered from Chengdu to Lodz, Poland, and from Zhengzhou to Hamburg, Germany. But combining the rail movement with origin and destination trucking networks enabled it to provide the service throughout China and Europe.