The number of Shandong's "Qilu" trains departing for Europe and Central Asia posted notable growth in the first half of this year as the province has been expanding its rail logistics services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Freight rail trips between Shandong and Europe and Asia totaled 740 in the first six months, up 40.4 percent year on year, said the Information Office of Shandong Provincial People's Government.

Cargo train services have become an important logistics channel to ensure smooth trade as seaborne cargo transport has been disrupted by the pandemic, according to local officials.

Shandong resumed its China-Europe and China-Asia freight train services in mid-February despite the COVID-19 epidemic to support the operations of import and export enterprises.

The first Jinan-Hamburg freight train is launched on April 10 in Jinan, Shandong province. [Photo/jinan.e23.cn]

Operated by the Shandong Hi-Speed Group, the "Qilu" freight train service has opened special routes to Japan, South Korea and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative to provide customers with holistic logistics supply chain solutions.

A total of 24 tailor-made "point-to-point" special trains have been launched for key enterprises such as Haier, Sinotruk and Shandong Lingong Construction Machinery.

New routes such as "Jinan-Hamburg", "Zaozhuang-Moscow" and "Yantai-Kiev" have been opened, with direct lines to 42 cities in 14 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.