Xinjiang border crossing cargo volume sets new record in 2023
By the end of 2023, the volume of cargo traffic through border crossings in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region increased 8.6 percent year-on-year in 2022, setting a new historical high of 74.7 million tons, data from the district commerce department showed.
The department said the increase in the figure was driven by improving the efficiency of customs clearance. Priority was given to ensuring smooth transportation under China-Europe freight train services. The time of customs inspection of one railroad train last year was reduced from 70 to 35 minutes.
At the same time, the "green channel" for fast customs clearance of agricultural products covers all eight road border crossings on China's border with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Li Xuan, deputy head of the district commerce department, said that in 2024, Xinjiang will continue to improve the functions of its checkpoints to enhance transportation efficiency, promote the construction of "smart border crossings" and deepen exchanges and cooperation with neighboring countries.
Sales of duty-free goods contribute to foreign trade in Sanya in southern China
The total volume of foreign trade turnover of the resort city of Sanya /prov. Hainan, South China/ soared to 24.23 billion yuan /about $3.4 billion/ in 2023, up 13.1 percent from 2022, with duty-free goods playing a vital role. U.S. dollars/, up 13.1 percent from 2022, with duty-free goods playing a vital role, the local customs office said on Sunday.
In 2023, imports of duty-free goods into Sanya city rose 25.5 percent to 10.76 billion yuan. They accounted for 44.4 percent of the city's total imports and exports.
Exports and imports of private enterprises rose 2.8 times, and those with foreign investment rose 2.1 times.
Last year, the EU, Switzerland and Japan became Sanya's three largest trading partners.
During the reporting period, cosmetics and toiletries were the main imported goods, with imports totaling 5.67 billion yuan in value, taking up 27.2 percent of the city's total imports for the whole of 2023.
SF Airlines launches international cargo air route between China and Pakistan
A new air cargo route connecting Huahu Airport in Ezhou city /province of Hubei/ with Pakistan's Lahore was launched on Saturday morning, SF Airlines, the largest air cargo airline in China's fleet, said. Hubei, Central China, to Pakistan's Lahore, SF Airlines, China's largest cargo airline by fleet size, said.
The Ezhou-Lahore cargo route is the first international air cargo route launched by SF Airlines this year, departing from Huahu Airport, which is China's first cargo-oriented airport, the airline said.
Flights on the new cargo route will operate three times a week. According to the aforementioned airline, this air route will allow a total of about 300 tons of cargo to be transported weekly and will serve as an efficient and stable logistics corridor for the development of trade and economic ties between China and Pakistan.
Huahu Airport in Ezhou was put into operation in July 2022 and functions as a transportation hub for cargo and a branch for passenger traffic. It opened its first international cargo route in April 2023.
SF Airlines, the aviation arm of China's leading courier company SF Express, has so far launched a total of 11 international air cargo routes from Ezhou to destinations around the world, the airline said in a statement.
A super-large container ship began sea trials in East China
An ultra-large container ship named "OOCL Valencia" left the waters of the Yangtze River in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province, on Tuesday for sea trials.
With a total length of 399.99 meters and a width of 61.3 meters, the new vessel can hold 24,188 standard containers /TEU, twenty-foot equivalent unit/. Its deck area is approximately the size of 3.5 standard soccer fields.
The vessel's maximum cargo capacity of 228,000 tons makes it one of the largest container ships in the world, said Nantong Cosco KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd, which built the OOCL Valencia.
The container ship boasts greatly improved operating efficiency and meets the green, low-carbon and smart development trends of the shipping industry.
"OOCL Valencia" is the seventh of 12 environmentally friendly vessels that have been ordered by shipowner Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. to carry 24,188 TEUs. These container ships are planned to be used on the Asia-Europe routes operated by this company.
The first 2024 China-Europe international rail freight train departed from Lianyungang City
A freight train loaded with auto parts, household appliances, mechanical equipment and other goods left Lianyungang city, Jiangsu Province, China. Jiangsu /Eastern China/. It will cross the state border at the Khorgos border crossing in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China and arrive in Central Asia. It is the first freight train to leave Lianyungang in 2024 as part of the China-Europe international rail freight routes.