Ningbo pioneered the "1 Euro to China" intercontinental express delivery, reducing the freight costs of CEEC goods by over 50%
Issue Date：2025-05-19 Source：cnnb.com.cn
At 4:50 PM in May 15th, after four days of transportation, a batch of 50 kilograms of duvets that departed from Budapest, Hungary, and traveled through Ezhou, Hubei, was delivered to the warehouse of Ningbo Yongze International Trade Co., Ltd.
"After this batch of duvets, we have another 800 kilograms of Hungarian noble rot wine!" said the excited recipient, Wang Shiyu.
Moreover, according to Han Jun, Deputy Director of the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Commerce, this marks the first successful intercontinental express order under "1 Euro to China", an initiative launched by the Procurement Alliance of CEEC Commodity and pioneered in China by Ningbo.
Previously, most goods imported from CEEC relied on sea freight. Including customs clearance and transshipment, the in-transit cycle took 40 days at the shortest and up to two months. This method significantly reduced the shelf life of goods once they entered the market. In addition, many commodities from CEEC are niche products, requiring a process for market adaptation. Importers face slow capital turnover, and there is a high risk of overstocking unsold goods, which to some extent constrains the export of CEEC goods to China.
The photo shows the supporting warehouse of the Procurement Alliance of CEEC Commodity located in Budapest. Photo provided by the interviewee
The strategic cooperation between the Procurement Alliance of CEEC Commodity and SF Express provides new ideas and solutions for expanding imports: The procurement alliance is based in Ningbo, it serves as a connection between CEEC and the vast domestic market. The warehousing network established by over 120 alliance member companies in Poland, Romania, Hungary, and other locations efficiently addresses issues related to buyers, sellers, and supply sources. SF Express leveraging direct cargo flights from Budapest to Zhengzhou and Ezhou, as well as its extensive domestic logistics network, ensures the delivery of goods to major cities across China. "Compared to the numerous restrictions of passenger aircraft transport, all-cargo flights offer significant advantages. The freight cost per kilogram has dropped from 1.5-2 euros to just 1 euro, solving a major challenge of intercontinental shipping", said Chen Weijun, Executive President of the Procurement Alliance of CEEC Commodity.
It is reported that this intercontinental express service operates three direct flights weekly. After booking confirmation, customs declaration at the port of departure, and air transportation into the country, high-value-added products from CEEC are cleared through customs on the 3rd day and delivered to the door on the 4th day.
"Leveraging this 'golden channel' established in Ningbo, we aim to deliver high-quality CEEC products, such as red wine and chocolate, to thousands of households across China within 4 days",said Chen Weijun.
To expedite the import of CEEC goods, Ningbo Customs introduced the pioneering "One-stop Service for Imports from CEEC" application, providing a seamless guide for the entire import process.
Moreover, a host of distinctive platforms of Ningbo, such as the Central and Eastern Europ Youth Innovation Center and the Central and Eastern European Specialty Commodities Perennial Pavilion, have been continuously innovating and implementing convenient measures in source procurement and import categories to further boost the import of CEEC goods. At present, the Central and Eastern European Specialty Commodities Perennial Pavilion has been operating for 10 years, bringing together over 70 professional traders and 37 national pavilions, showcasing nearly 5,000 specialty products.
Last year, Ningbo imported agricultural products worth 230 million yuan from CEEC, marking a 13-fold increase compared to 10 years ago. Among these, the import volumes of dairy products and wine have risen by 71 times and 3 times respectively over the past decade.
"Through initiatives such as the '1 Euro to China' intercontinental express delivery, Ningbo is building a 'golden bridge' connecting across mountains and seas", said Zhang Handong, a researcher at the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province. (Reported by Zhu Yu, Shan Yuzifeng, and Yi He for Ningbo Daily's Yongpai Client)
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of cnnb. The cnnb version shall prevail.