The launch ceremony takes place for the Songyang-Urumqi multimodal transport service. [Photo/Songyang county publicity department]

A train carrying 108 special storage and transport containers used for asphalt left the station in Songyang county in Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province on April 17, bound for Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The departure of the train, which will travel more than 3,600 kilometers and take about seven days to reach its destination, marked the official launch of the Songyang-Urumqi multimodal transport service.

According to Songyang officials, the containers were manufactured by Zhejiang Xinxin Cold Chain Equipment Manufacturing Co Ltd and cost over 20 million yuan ($2.91 million).

They are mainly used for asphalt storage and transportation and have the same size as standard international containers.

On the return trip, the train will start out from Urumqi and transport asphalt produced in Xinjiang to various regions of the country through the multimodal transport network, which relies on the effective linkages of sea transport and railway, road and other transport modes.

Compared with road transportation, the multimodal transport service can reduce 80 percent of the cost, 50 percent of the time cost and 92 percent of pollutant emissions, according to officials.

The successful operation of the train is seen as being of great significance for promoting the adjustment of Songyang's transportation structure and building a comprehensive logistics system in southwestern Zhejiang.