In the traditional import trade model, foreign trade goods are first unloaded at a customs-supervised area in the port. Once customs clearance is obtained, company vehicles retrieve the goods, a process that can be quite time-consuming. However, in the "Ship-side Direct Pickup" model, companies can schedule their arrival time at the port according to their production plans. If the goods trigger a release instruction upon arrival, they can immediately proceed with their next production operations, saving both time and effort. Let’s delve into the "Ship-side Direct Pickup" model.
I. Definition of "Direct Ship-side Pickup"
"Ship-side Direct Pickup" is a model that allows companies to declare imported container goods to customs in advance. This enables them to utilize the transportation time for customs declarations, document reviews, tax payments, and other clearance procedures. Once the inbound vessel arrives, goods that do not require customs inspection can be released, allowing company vehicles to directly unload and retrieve them from the ship. This process eliminates the need for storage at the port and multiple handling steps, establishing a direct connection between vehicles and vessels.
II. Applicable Situations and Goods for "Ship-side Direct Pickup"
In general, imported container goods are eligible for the "Direct Shipside Pick-up" model.
III. Procedure for "Direct Ship-side Pickup"
(I) Companies use the International Trade "Single Window" to declare imported container goods to customs in advance of the vessel's arrival and finalize tax-related procedures.
(II) Companies manage related payments and schedule container pickups online via the port’s appointment platform, creating an appointment record.
(III) Companies can receive updates on unloading progress and projected pickup times through the WeChat public service platform, allowing them to plan their vehicle entries for container retrieval accordingly.
(IV) Companies ensure their vehicles arrive at the dock within the scheduled arrival window, complete container pickup procedures, and follow the dock staff’s instructions for the pickup operation.
(V) Once containers are loaded onto vehicles, the customs clearance is verified at the dock exit. If the verification is successful, the container is then cleared to leave the dock.
IV. Advantages of "Direct Ship-side Pickup"
The efficiency of corporate import container retrieval and logistics costs are further reduced. Compared to traditional import container operations, "Direct Ship-side Pickup" model eliminates the need to first drop off and stack containers at the dock, allowing company-designated vehicles to directly retrieve goods from alongside the ship.
"Direct Ship-side Pickup" serves as a critical link between international and domestic logistics, enabling seamless transitions between ship and truck. This reduces dockside storage and the volume of goods transferred to off-port yards, achieving "zero wait" time from unloading to warehouse retrieval. This process not only saves space, time, and logistics costs for businesses but also enhances the flow within both domestic and international supply chains.
In "Direct Ship-side Pickup" model, corporate transport vehicles directly load goods at the berth and return to the factory, reducing the frequency of container handling and transport within the dock, thus enhancing transportation efficiency and reducing logistics costs.
Furthermore, for older ports along the Yangtze River that fall within ecological protection areas, the "Direct Ship-side Pickup" model effectively can reduce the pressure on yard storage capacities.
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of this website. The Chinese version shall prevail.