Shanghai has been committed to promoting high-level opening-up and trade facilitation, with advancement made in the efficiency of goods import and export.

At the Yangshan Deep-Water Port in the city's Lin-gang Special Area, automated guided vehicles can be seen driving around, while giant quay cranes efficiently load and unload containers. As a key channel for cross-border trade, the port, with an annual throughput of 26 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), is actively participating in the global trade chain.

During the peak season for cross-border e-commerce from May to August, Yangshan Port handled 128,000 TEUs of cross-border e-commerce containers, up 27 percent year-on-year, according to the Yangshan Customs.

The container yard at Yangshan Port. [Photo/Jiefang Daily]

To address problems like redundant inspections and cumbersome customs transfers, Shanghai introduced a new model, treating Yangshan Port and surrounding ports as an integrated operation area, enabling single declaration, inspection, and release for import and export goods.

Since the model was implemented in 2021, each export container has saved 400 yuan ($56.22) in costs, while each import container has saved 200 yuan, significantly reducing the overall cost of cross-border logistics for enterprises.