Authorities have begun preparations to link the Laos-China Railway to the Thanaleng Dry Port to better facilitate freight transportation.
While goods are currently transported by truck to and from Vientiane Southern Station and the Thanaleng Dry Port, an investment in new rail track will see freight move seamlessly by train.
To improve convenience in freight transportation, Thabok Thanaleng Co. Ltd has invested in the construction of a 1.2 kilometer rail line from the Laos-Thai Railway to Thabok Thanaleng, while the Laos-China Railway Company will construct a new line from Vientiane Southern Station to Thanaleng, covering a distance of 2.8 kilometers.
From 26 June, after both routes have completed construction, freight will be moved from the Thai line to the Laos-China Railway line at the Thanaleng Dry Port, because the Laos-China Railway uses a 1.435m gauge track while the standard track in Thailand is one metre.
This will make freight transportation faster and more convenient between Thailand and China through Laos.
The Thanaleng Dry Port has delivered over 10,000 freight containers since opening in April 2021, with 80 percent of these carrying goods from China through Laos to destinations in Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia.
Many of these contained electronic components, fertilizers, clothing, and textiles.
Goods shipped by the Dry Port from Laos to China included iron ore, cassava flour, rubber, timber, fruit, and raw materials.
The Thanaleng Dry Port also saw goods shipped from Thailand to China, including rice, fruit, and rubber.
