日经报道：JR货运6月在泰国—老挝间完成首次跨境集装箱班列试运行，仍在探索商业化，无签约、无订单、无金额

BANGKOK -- In Thailand, where trucking accounts for most of the cargo transport, the freight unit of Japan Railways Group is betting that shipping by rail will find a foothold.
Japan Freight Railway, commonly known as JR Freight, in June tested a train carrying containers round trip between Chonburi Station in eastern Thailand and Thanaleng Dry Port Station in Laos, roughly 650 kilometers apart. The train departed Chonburi Station late at night and arrived at Thanaleng station around noon.
JR Freight used this cross-border trial, the company's first, to identify challenges to commercialization such as costs, transit times and customs clearance procedures at the border.
State Railway of Thailand operated the train, with Japanese logistics companies such as Sankyu and Nippon Express Holdings subsidiary NX Thai Logistics taking part in the trial. The freight cars carried three 40-foot containers loaded with 16 steel racks and 100 plastic pallets.
An inspection afterward found no deformation of the freight and no significant displacement. Sensors showed vibrations remained within standard range.
"There are no technical issues with freight transport," said Hiroka Yamada, chief representative of JR Freight's Bangkok representative office. The transit time was "satisfactory."
JR Freight said costs do not differ substantially from trucking, but that the company will seek further reductions.
If the project becomes a business, State Railway of Thailand would operate the trains while JR Freight manages other aspects including collecting cargo from Japanese logistics companies and shippers.
JR Freight aims to bring the on-time operation model cultivated in Japan to Southeast Asia. In Japan, the basic principle is to run trains according to schedule, even if the cargo volume is low.
But in Thailand, freight trains commonly do not operate until a certain amount of cargo has been collected -- one major reason shippers often avoid using trains.
In Japan, JR Freight increases the loading ratio by using a booking system. Cargo can be reassigned to slots that become available due to cancellations.
JR Freight also looks to tap its Japanese track record of transporting hazardous materials such as liquefied natural gas. The company is helping Thailand establish transport regulations covering hazardous materials.
JR Freight launched overseas operations in response to the Japanese government's promotion of railway infrastructure exports in the previous decade. Though rail exports have focused on bullet trains and urban rail systems, interest in freight trains is growing, partly due to their low environmental impact.
The rail company conducts surveys and training in Asian countries under contracts with government agencies. Thailand leads the way in exploring commercialization of freight trains. Since 2021, JR Freight has maintained a representative office in Bangkok.
Though trucks handle about 80% of logistics in Thailand, JR Freight said Japanese manufacturers and European businesses operating in the country have approached the company about using rail transport to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Thailand is promoting rail freight by double-tracking the country's single-track sections, which account for over 70% of the network. Bangkok looks to lift rail's share of freight transport from 2% now to 10% within 10 years.
JR Freight also is exploring transport between Thailand and both Cambodia and Malaysia, but this raises many challenges. Rail lines between Thailand and Cambodia are closed due to last year's border conflict. Malaysia carries increased costs associated with cross-border transport.
Challenges exist in Thailand as well. In May, a collision between a freight train and a bus in Bangkok resulted in eight deaths and at least 35 injuries, local newspapers reported. The cause is believed to be a combination of human error and equipment deficiencies, making the restoration of confidence in safe rail operations an urgent need.