Zhoushan stands out in nation for customs clearance

Tugboats dock the oil tanker Eagle Varna carrying imported crude oil at the port in Cezi Island, Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, on July 4, 2018. [Photo/IC]

The customs clearance efficiency of Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, is in a leading position in China, according to the city's shipping and port authorities. 

Statistics show that Zhoushan's customs clearance time for imports and exports last December witnessed a significant year-on-year decrease of 65.5 percent and 94.33 percent, respectively, requiring only 33.84 hours and 2.34 hours, respectively. 

The times, noted by a local port official, are far faster than other ports in the province and other bulk commodity ports in the nation such as Qingdao, Shandong province. 

The result can be attributed to a series of measures released by the local government for facilitating foreign trade over the past year.

The China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone located in the city has been committed to the "Single Window" construction for international trade facilitation and managed to become China's first paperless customs clearance port for ships last year. 

In addition, Zhoushan launched online services for companies to go through customs clearance procedures, instead of the time-consuming paper document submission, enabling companies to do the work on computers or mobile phones in one session.

According to the authorities, Zhoushan will push forward the "Single Window" construction this year to further improve its customs clearance, and digitalize its port by establishing a specialized information platform for its river-sea intermodal transport and maritime affairs services.

Zhoushan will also work on measures for facilitating customs clearance between itself and Ningbo and Shanghai to drive its integration with Ningbo and to enhance its involvement in the integration of the Yangtze River Delta region.