The figure is an estimation made by the Roland Berger management consultancy.

According to China's National Development and Reform Commission, some 322k TEUs were carried between China and Europe in Q1 2021, a growth of 75% year-on-year.

Westbound traffic totted up to 182k TEUs (onboard altogether 1,858 trains), while that in the eastern direction - 140k TEUs (1,540).

The Austrian Rail Cargo Group says it doubled the number of containers in its New Silk Road traffic last year, up to 70k TEUs.

Metrans, the rail arm of HHLA, noted a more than doubling of its China-Europe container volumes which in 2020 totalled around 30k TEUs.