China's First "Multimodal Transport + TIR" Vehicle Exits via the Irkeshtam Port

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Chen Qiangwei) news: Learned from Irkeshtam Customs: On March 27, 2026, a container truck bearing the TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) system mark crossed the border at the Irkeshtam Port in China’s Xinjiang, marking the successful implementation and smooth exit of China's first "Multimodal Transport + TIR" international transportation operation.

The cargo transported in this operation consisted of 32 pieces of domestically produced auto parts, weighing a total of 7,093 kilograms. On March 16, 2026, the shipment commenced its journey at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and was consolidated via rail transport at Xi'an International Port Station to Kashi North Station. Subsequently, it exited the country via the TIR road transport mode at the Irkeshtam Port and was ultimately delivered to Uzbekistan. The entire process, from dispatch to exit at the Irkeshtam Port, took 11 days, reducing the traditional transportation time by three to five days.

The core innovation of this operation lies in the deep integration of two efficient transportation modes, multimodal transport and TIR, along with the intelligent customs supervision system. At the front end, the advantages of rail transport, including large capacity, low cost, and environmental friendliness, are leveraged to efficiently gather and distribute the cargo to Kashi. At the back end, the TIR system's notable advantages of "single declaration," "end-to-end documentation," one-time sealing, no container changing and opening, and rapid customs clearance significantly enhance the overall logistics efficiency for cargo transported from China to Central Asia and even Europe.

Wang Longqi, manager of the Kashi Branch of Alashankou AST International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd., stated that previously, when transporting goods to Uzbekistan, inspections and transshipment were required in Kyrgyzstan, involving multiple procedures. Now, with the combination of the "Multimodal Transport + TIR" customs supervision modes, the entire process has achieved "single customs declaration, no cargo container opening, and end-to-end container transport." Actually, this not only improves transportation efficiency but also reduces corporate logistics costs, providing strong logistical support for further expanding into the Central Asian market.

To ensure the smooth implementation of this operation, Irkeshtam Customs established a dedicated service window, proactively engaged with corporate needs, and optimized supervision procedures. While ensuring effective supervision, they achieved efficient cargo inspection and release.

Yang Yang, an officer at Irkeshtam Customs, said that the implementation of this operation not only provides enterprises with more flexible, efficient, and cost-effective cross-border logistics solutions, reducing comprehensive logistics costs, but also further enhances China's multimodal transport network system extending westward, southward to South Asia, and towards Europe. The customs will continue to deepen business reforms and innovations, supporting more enterprises in utilizing the "Multimodal Transport + TIR" model for cross-border trade.

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