A container truck operating under a global customs transit convention called Transports Internationaux Routiers, or International Road Transport, on Friday exited through the Irkeshtam Port in the Kizilsu Kirgiz autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, marking China's first multimodal transport service under TIR.

Managed by the International Road Transport Union, the TIR convention links nearly 80 contracting parties across Eurasia, North Africa, North and South America. China joined the convention in July 2016.

The Friday shipment consisted of 32 sets of domestically produced auto parts weighing a total of 7,093 kilograms. It departed from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport in Shaanxi province on March 16 and was transported by rail via Xi'an Guojigang Railway Station to Xinjiang's Kashgar North Railway Station. From there, it was shipped out via Irkeshtam Port under the TIR regime. The destination is Uzbekistan.

Its journey from departure to exit at Irkeshtam took 11 days, three to five days shorter than traditional transport methods.

As one of China's westernmost land ports, Irkeshtam borders Kyrgyzstan and serves as a key node connecting China with Central Asia, West Asia and Europe.

According to Irkeshtam Customs, the innovation lies in the deep integration of multimodal transport under TIR and smart customs supervision. The rail segment leverages large capacity and low cost to efficiently consolidate cargo in Kashgar, Xinjiang.

On the cross-border section, the TIR system allows goods to transit multiple countries in sealed customs-controlled load compartments under a multilateral, mutually recognized system. Only one customs declaration is submitted in advance for all relevant border crossings. A single TIR Carnet serves as both customs documentation and an international guarantee. With customs seals intact, the cargo requires no transshipment or inspection en route, enabling rapid clearance throughout the journey.

Wang Longqi, manager of the Kashgar branch of Alashankou Aisente International Forwarding Agency Co, said the new service has eliminated inspection and transshipment in Kyrgyzstan on routes to Uzbekistan, which has improved efficiency and reduced logistics costs.

"It strengthens logistics support for our further expansion into the Central Asian market and boosts our confidence in cross-border trade," Wang said.

Irkeshtam Customs noted that the initiative has created a new cross-border logistics model in China and significantly improved logistics efficiency for cargo traveling from inland China to Central Asia and beyond.

A dedicated service window has been established to address enterprise needs in advance and streamline supervision procedures, ensuring efficient clearance while maintaining effective oversight.

Yang Yang, an official from Irkeshtam Customs, said they will further deepen reform and operational innovation to support more enterprises in using multimodal transport under TIR for cross-border trade and ensure the smooth flow of the westbound international logistics corridor.