Following the signing of a bilateral logistics agreement between China and Korea, cross-border movement of container trailers will simplify entry into inland of China saving time and money spent transloading.

Korea's Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs has signed a comprehensive logistics agreement with China which will enable faster movements of tractor trailers carrying shipping containers.

Under the present system, cargo must be loaded to at least two other trailers in between arrival at ports and the final destination, resulting in hours of costly loading and unloading.

But with the new system that starts next month, the initial shipping container can travel by ground in both countries, thereby eliminating the unloading-loading process and saving costs for both shippers and cargo owners.

Cost savings for port operators and shippers at departures and arrivals amounts to 12 hours at US$50 per TEU and will include six major ports that include Incheon and Pyeongtaek, Korea and in China, Weihai and Qingdao.

The non-shifting trailer service avoids repeat loading and unloading, in some cases up to two trailers. "Trailers loading shipments will be transported straight to the arrival destination via car ferries from the departure point," said Korea's ministry of land, transport and maritime affairs in a report from South Korea's TV Arirang News.

            Source: shipping online