Songjiang pre-clearance cargo station facilitates exports

​A view of the Songjiang Comprehensive Bonded Zone in Shanghai. [Shanghai Observer]

The pre-clearance cargo station in Shanghai's Songjiang Comprehensive Bonded Zone has processed over 1 million e-commerce parcels destined for overseas markets, with a total value of 101 million yuan ($14.66 million), since it opened in November, Shanghai Customs announced.

A pre-clearance cargo station serves as a "satellite site" for an airport cargo terminal in logistics hubs, bonded zones, and industrial clusters.

A recent shipment highlighted the station's efficiency: 13 metric tons of e-commerce parcels, valued at 857,000 yuan, underwent streamlined "one-stop" customs procedures before being dispatched to Shanghai Pudong International Airport on March 31.

The facility has strengthened the area's air cargo logistics and bonded warehousing.

"Customs clearance, airport security checks, and airline consolidation can all be handled at our doorstep in one stop," said Zhang Liang, a customs manager at the international logistics services provider 17FEIA.

He added that the facility has reduced the company's logistics time by 30 percent while lowering overall operating costs.

To meet the challenges posed by peak export periods and diverse product categories, Songjiang Customs has implemented measures such as online reservations and on-demand inspections to improve supervision.

According to Yin Wenchao, deputy director of Songjiang Customs, the agency plans to integrate AI-powered identification and automatic data comparison technologies for real-time cargo tracking and risk alerts, and intends to introduce non-intrusive inspection methods into business processes.