JINAN — East China's Jinan, capital of Shandong province, operated 764 China-Europe freight trains in 2021, up 41 percent year-on-year, according to the local customs.

In 2021, the inbound and outbound "Qilu" trains carried some 62,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) worth 7.2 billion yuan (about $1.1 billion) in total, a year-on-year increase of 40.9 percent and 22.9 percent, respectively.

To coordinate epidemic prevention and the trains' operation, Quancheng Customs in Jinan has facilitated clearance, opened green channels, and set up special service windows for the freight trains, said Wang Ying, deputy director of the customs.

Launched in 2018, the "Qilu" trains have connected Jinan with over 40 overseas cities in Asia and Europe.