Resounding an Anthem of Open Economic Growth on the Shores of the East China Sea: Ningbo Customs Pioneers Innovation and Practical Action to Advance High-quality Foreign Trade

 

 

On the shores of the East China Sea stands a mighty port; amidst the surging tide of the era, countless ships race ahead. In 2024, Zhejiang Ningbo Customs boldly shoulders its duty to safeguard the national border and forges ahead in promoting development. Centered on the goal of building a high-level open province and city, it has worked tirelessly to drive reform and innovation, achieving fresh breakthroughs. This has propelled Ningbo into the nation's top five for total foreign trade for the first time in its history, while bolstering Ningbo Zhoushan Port's "hardcore" status as the world's leading port for 16 consecutive years.

Innovating regulatory models to accelerate the development of a high-level global cross-border e-commerce hub

Cross-border e-commerce is Ningbo's fastest-growing and most promising new foreign trade format, consistently standing out as a top performer in the leading echelon. To spur cross-border e-commerce growth, Ningbo Customs has bolstered policy implementation by issuing the Ten Measures to Boost High-Quality Cross-Border E-Commerce Development. Key steps include expanding the "inspect first, then load" model for consolidated export shipments, supporting "front warehouse + overseas warehouse" export setups, and encouraging businesses to participate in cross-customs-district retail export return pilots—continuously cutting costs and raising efficiency. Meanwhile, it is actively exploring integrated smart supervision for the entire cross-border e-commerce process, accelerating the establishment of a high-level global cross-border e-commerce hub. In 2024, Ningbo's bonded online imports through cross-border e-commerce surpassed RMB 30 billion, and exports from special cross-border e-commerce zones to overseas warehouses totaled around RMB 4.8 billion—both ranking second nationwide.

"Innovations in customs supervision have undoubtedly accelerated our company's adoption of new technologies to develop new production methods and foster new growth drivers." Li Feng, General Manager of Ningbo Yaji Logistics Co., Ltd.—a global export logistics service provider for the Amazon platform and a major operator of front warehouses in the Ningbo Meishan Comprehensive Bonded Zone—remarked, "Moving forward, we will leverage customs policy support to continually enhance logistics efficiency and management effectiveness, contributing to the growth of Ningbo's cross-border e-commerce industry."

They must both serve industrial development and strengthen hub construction. Ningbo Customs is actively strengthening Ningbo Zhoushan Port's role as a key hub, supporting the development of a world-class port, and reinforcing its pivotal position in major national strategies—among them the Belt and Road Initiative, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.

 

 

Ningbo Customs officers patrolling sea-rail intermodal operations. Photo by Xiang Lianmei

 

 

Efficient, convenient logistics serve as a critical pillar for any world-class port seeking to enhance its hub capabilities. Ningbo Customs continues to roll out the "Port Departure Confirmation" model, achieving full coverage across the Yangtze River Delta's paired customs offices and cutting transshipment port waiting times by nearly 30% compared to traditional methods. It also takes part in building the "Zhejiang e-Port" brand, supporting the integration and upgrade of Yiwu's "Sixth Port Area," driving data connectivity among port authorities, inland rail stations, inland river ports, and dry ports. This initiative extends the seaport capabilities of Ningbo Zhoushan Port deep into the interior, effectively relocating the "maritime gateway" to the doorsteps of local businesses. In 2024, Ningbo Customs oversaw 15,000 water-to-water transshipment shipments under the "Port Departure Confirmation" model—an annual increase of 7.7%. This enabled Ningbo Zhoushan Port to grow its sea-rail intermodal routes to 26, broadening its coverage to 67 prefecture-level cities in 16 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and surpassing 1.8 million TEUs for the first time.

As nationwide trade in bulk commodities expands, Ningbo Zhoushan Port's position as a key mineral supply corridor and strategic focal point in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is increasingly evident. Zhongzhai Ore Terminal at Ningbo Zhoushan Port, the largest bulk cargo distribution terminal in Ningbo, mainly offloads coal, iron ore, and other major ore commodities. "Thanks to customs facilitation policies like 'release before inspection' and 'weight verification upon company request,' bulk commodity clearance times have dropped from over a week to under two days, greatly boosting turnaround efficiency and yard utilization," said Zhongzhai Terminal Business Manager Lin Minmin. Moreover, Ningbo Customs is actively advancing the "Smart Inspection—Bulk Resource Commodities (Iron Ore) Supervision" program, pursuing a new model of coordinated, intelligent, and science-based oversight for imported iron ore inspections. Data from Ningbo Customs show that imports of metallic ores and ore sands at Ningbo Port reached 62.55 million metric tons in 2024, up 17.8% over the previous year.

They must not only develop hub platforms but also cater to business operators. For foreign trade companies, fast customs clearance translates directly into profit. Ningbo Customs offers proactive support to eliminate bottlenecks and difficulties in the clearance process, steadily raising import and export clearance efficiency. Lin Jie, Customs Declaration Manager at Ningbo Port Southeast Logistics Group Co., Ltd., remarked: "Ningbo Customs has adopted a 24/7 clearance support mechanism and established a 'green channel' for customs clearance. They provide expedited services for time-sensitive shipments or those with imminent sailing schedules, effectively stabilizing businesses' expectations for import and export procedures."

Strengthening policy measures and upgrading services to continuously boost foreign trade quality

Meanwhile, Ningbo Customs has stepped up corporate credit development efforts. In partnership with the Ningbo Port Office and 15 other agencies, it introduced version 2.0 of its joint incentive measures for AEO enterprises, further extending the benefit list. It also uses multiple channels to implement convenience measures for Advanced Certified Enterprises, continually strengthening businesses’ sense of support and satisfaction. In 2024, Ningbo welcomed 13 new AEO-certified enterprises, raising the total number to 134.

Policy support has been ramped up, and services upgraded accordingly. Following the earlier release of 18 measures to facilitate cross-border trade and 10 measures to spur high-quality cross-border e-commerce development, Ningbo Customs remains committed to stabilizing Ningbo's foreign trade growth. By the end of 2024, it introduced 16 more initiatives to further optimize the port business environment and streamline customs clearance. These efforts focus on four areas: boosting port clearance efficiency, nurturing new foreign trade drivers, bolstering enterprise services, and enhancing trade facilitation—continuously propelling foreign trade quality and growth. Data from Ningbo Customs shows that total imports and exports at Ningbo's ports hit RMB 2.5 trillion in 2024, up 6.1% year on year.

At this new historical crossroads, Ningbo Customs places high-quality development and high-level openness at the forefront. It reinforces a constant sense of responsibility and a strong capacity for decisive action—safeguarding national borders while boldly undertaking reforms with a "leading the way" spirit. By channeling this pioneering drive and unwavering commitment, it amplifies the vitality of foreign trade, ushering in a new chapter of service for high-quality growth and elevated openness.

 

 

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  Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of Economic Information Daily. The Economic Information Daily version shall prevail.