Qingdao Customs in collaboration with Shandong Port Group recently launched the 2024 annual “smart customs, smart ports”-themed demonstration project of cooperation between customs and ports, involving cooperation in ten domains and aiming to build the fastest channel of export across the Yellow River basin.

To accelerate the construction of a world-class port cluster, the two parties will press ahead with flexible customs supervision, widen the application of intelligent supervision equipment to cut costs and improve performance for customs clearance in ports; carry forward intelligent collection and distribution in ports and promote the program of “direct loading upon arrival” for exported goods and “ship-side direct pickup” for imported goods; and speed up the construction of an intelligent App for all ports in Shandong Province, and join hands to build smart customs and ports.

To help push ahead with ecological conservation and high-quality development across the Yellow River basin, the two parties will work to adopt “land-sea cooperation, sea-railway combined transport” among inland ports across the Yellow River basin; strive to get these inland ports entitled to duty refunding policies as ports of departure; and facilitate the efforts to build a smart platform for customs and trading across the basin and work together to build a smooth land-sea channel along the Yellow River basin.

To bolster high-quality development of foreign trade, the two parties will widen the application of Qingdao-port.net, an online intelligent examination platform and promote the building of more similar platforms; and jointly push for the “commerce+” cooperation mechanism and expand processing trade in an effort to foster the first-class business environment.

Over recent years, Qingdao Customs and Shandong Port Group have deepened cooperation to inject strong impetus into the cause of seeking high-quality development and building the first-class business environment in ports. In 2023, ports in Shandong Province saw a cargo throughput of more than 1.7 billion tons, topping the world, and a container throughput of more than 41 million TEUs, ranking second globally, and Qingdao Port was highest ranked in the assessment of business environment in nationwide ports and continued to win the highest scores in total.

 (Liu Lanxing)