In 2021, UTLC ERA improved its Eurasian Rail Alliance Index, which shows the indicative cost of freight transportation between China and Europe. Now its value is updated weekly, which allows users to see and compare the current cost of goods delivery. In 2022, UTLC ERA will continue to improve the ERAI index and promote it on the Asian and European transport markets.
Price Point
Eurasian Rail Alliance Index (ERAI, available at https://index1520.com) is a tool for informing market participants about the cost of Trans-Eurasian container rail traffic in both directions between China and Europe. The ERAI price index was first presented by UTLC ERA in 2018 at the Logistics and Transportation Expo in China.
When calculating the index, UTLC ERA considers many factors. Such factors include rail transportation tariffs in Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, cost of using fitting platforms, cost of terminal services, travel time, infrastructure congestion.
According to Artemy Ivanov, head of marketing research at UTLC ERA, previously only the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index and World Container Index (SCFI and WCI, respectively) were used as indicators of container transportation costs from South-East Asia to Europe and vice versa.
Last year, the index data began to be updated on a weekly basis. It is now well represented on international transport platforms — in the Union of Railways in France, in the European Parliament and in a committee at the UN. The index data are included in the reviews of the Drewry international analytical agency.
At the end of January, the Drewry World Container Index is 3.3 times higher than the ERAI index. At the same time, overland transit times remain 3-4 times lower.
Portal for Index
The information and analytical portal Index1520.com, based on the Eurasian Rail Alliance Index, has also undergone a number of changes in 2021. Today it is a tool that allows businesses to get quick and accurate forecasts on all aspects related to the cargo transportation in the «1520 Area». In 2022, UTLC ERA plans to continue improving and enhancing the index portal, as well as doubling the audience that uses it.
«Significant efforts will be made to promote the portal to all target markets as a kind of showcase for all transit container traffic in the «1520 area», summed up the head of the marketing research department of UTLC ERA.
